There are little bits of cheer everywhere. Six-year-old Johnny Crisstopher Angel has captured the hearts of the SurvivorNet community as he battles leukemia, and now he’s assisting his father magician Criss Angel by performing tricks for his classmates.
Johnny’s dad shared a video on Instagram of he and Johnny Crisstopher, performing a magic show for Johnny’s classmates four weeks before his leukemia reappeared. In the post, Angel discussed his son’s battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which he was diagnosed with at the age of two, and stressed the importance of cherishing every moment with loved ones, because change can happen at any moment.
Read MoreJohnny Chrisstopher’s Leukemia Battle
Johnny was first diagnosed with the rare form of leukemia in December 2015. Despite a brief remission, Angel announced in December 2019 that his son’s leukemia had returned, and treatment was starting immediately. His son’s battle with cancer sparked Angel to raise money on behalf of pediatric cancer research and treatment by creating the Johnny Crisstopher Children’s Charitable Foundation. In September 2016, Angel held a tribute performance on behalf of his foundation, where 100% of the proceeds went to pediatric cancer research and care. Related: Illusionist Criss Angel Shares Heartbreaking Photos of His 5-Year-Old Son in the Hospital for Cancer TreatmentWhile childhood leukemia is rare, it is the most common cancer found in young children and teens. ALL, Johnny’s diagnosis, particularly affects children between the ages of two and five.
Johnny’s mother, Shaunyl Benson, has also spoken out about the importance of pediatric cancer research. In an Instagram post on March 1st, Benson wrote that she was “offended” that pediatric care was underfunded and that many people didn’t seem to care.
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Benson’s claims ring some truth. According to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, only 4% of the billions of dollars going towards cancer research focuses on pediatric cancer treatment.
Angel and Benson are still keeping their son’s spirits high. On March 3rd, the couple took Chrisstopher to his very first KISS concert, and even got to meet frontman Paul Stanley.
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