Before the Kansas City Chiefs beat the HoustonTexans in Sunday’s playoff game, the team’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, made sure to show his appreciation to a special young fan. Lane Cunningham, a 14-year-old cancer survivor, got to high-five the whole team as they headed onto the field before the game, and his favorite player, Mahomes, even gave him the game ball.
“I appreciate you coming out,” Mahomes said to Lane in a clip of their exchange, captured by Fox 4 Kansas City. “I want to give you the game ball, man.”
Read MoreLane was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was just 9 months old. He was treated and has been in remission for the past 12 years, the station reported. He and his family were on the sidelines for the Chiefs game because they were being honored for their work with a charity called Braden’s Hope, a local nonprofit that raises awareness and funding for research regarding childhood cancers. The family got involved with nonprofit after their own experience with pediatric cancer, according to Fox 4.
The family was shocked to receive a call from the Chiefs, Lane’s mother Kara told Fox 4. The team wanted to honor the Cunninghams for their dedication to spreading awareness about childhood cancer — a fitting reward for Lane, who reportedly is a football player himself. Lane, who is from Louisburg, Mo., and in eighth grade, plays for his school’s team — and is a quarterback, just like his favorite player, Mahomes.
What Is Neuroblastoma?
The cancer Lane had as an infant, neuroblastoma, begins in early forms of nerve cells of the sympathetic nervous system, and is most commonly diagnosed in babies and young children, according to the American Cancer Society. It rarely occurs in children older than 10.
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Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer diagnosed in infants who are less than 1 year old. The type of treatment a child will get will depend on what stage the cancer was diagnosed at. Some children are considered very “low-risk,” meaning they may not require treatment at all, and some are considered “high-risk,” meaning the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and more aggressive treatment will be needed.
For children with lower and even intermediate risk neuroblastoma, surgery can be used to remove the tumor and chemotherapy may be needed before or after surgery, according to the American Cancer Society. For children with high risk neuroblastoma, a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, stem cells transplants, immunotherapy and retinoid therapy may be used.
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