“Cherish every moment, because sometimes we often overlook small things and small details that we can do with our kids,” says Mario, a St.Jude dad. “Even if you cannot control everything, even if you cannot control the situation, there are small things that you can control. As weird as it might sound, these small things that you can control are the things that your kid will remember.”
There are superheroes and then there are superhero dads — dads whose child is battling cancer. No matter what, no matter where, a superhero dad rises to the challenge and is there to save the day and show what it takes to be a true hero. In 2019, after two years of treatment against leukemia, the doctors in Guatemala said there were no more effective treatments left for Luna. They also showed Luna’s dad, Mario, a ray of hope about possibly getting effective treatment at St. Jude. In December 2019, Mario first arrived at St.Jude from Guatemala with Luna, filled with hope and worry at the same time.
“As days pass, you start thinking how much is this going to cost, because it is not so cheap,” says Mario treatment. “She was accepted and they [St.Jude] were like, ‘We are going to be taking care of everything related to the treatment expenses.’”
Mike Brown ALSAC
St Jude patient Luna poses for photos on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Even though this lifted a lot of weight off his shoulders, Mario was still worried about other expenses like food and housing in a new country, especially because his visa status won’t allow him to get employment here in the U.S. When St. Jude offered to take care of food, housing, and transportation as well, the feeling was surreal for him.
Luna is still in treatment and Mario is right by her side, helping her through rough nights, and hopes to make memories by seizing every little moment by staying hopeful and happy.
“If you are a St. Jude dad, just be calm because you are in the right place,” says Mario. He is full of praises of the empathetic nurses and the care and kindness showered on Luna and the family. He is an avid advocate for his child and encourages other parents in a similar situation to be strong and hopeful.
In April 2020, Luna received a bone marrow transplant, and the doctors felt that Luna was ready to go back to Guatemala in November of the same year. This was really exciting for the family because Luna would see her mother and little brother who couldn’t travel to the U.S. due to the pandemic. The family celebrated Luna’s birthday in Guatemala, but shortly after, Luna started feeling sick again. St.Jude acted swiftly to bring her back to the hospital.
Luna underwent another transplant in April 2021, but lost her eyesight as an after effect. “And it was really terrifying for me because she just woke up, and then she was just black, she wouldn’t see anything,” Mario says. Today, Luna has recovered some of her sight and the occupational therapy is helping her live as normal a life as possible. Although it’s hard to predict what the future holds, Luna, alongside her superhero dad, remains optimistic and hopeful.
To learn more about St. Jude, please visit st.jude.org