The walk, which will become a yearly event, was the idea of Michelle “Mikki” Stone, Vice President, Sergeant-at-Arms, and incoming President of the Sugar Creek Optimists. Twenty-four years ago her son, Johnny Maddox, was born with a tumor on his leg that was diagnosed as a malignant teratoma. At the age of 2 months, Johnny’s entire right leg was amputated at the hip, and Mikki was told her son would not live to see his first birthday.
Having been through more than 30 surgeries, Johnny Maddox beat the odds, and at the age of 24 became the inspiration for and participated in the No Child Fights Alone Cancer Walk. He and his thankful family are looking forward to Johnny’s wedding later this month.
Johnny’s story is an inspiration, but for tens of thousands of families across the country the battle is just beginning, and the outcomes are uncertain. According to the National Cancer Institute more than 10,000 children are diagnosed with some form of cancer every year. Thousands will not survive, making cancer the leading cause of disease-related death in childhood. Although survival rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades, incidents of childhood cancer have also risen. The Cancer Center at Children’s Mercy Hospital provides state-of-the-art treatment to more than 2,000 children every year, with survival rates that are frequently above the national average. As a publicly funded institution, donations are critical to the service the hospital provides. Mikki Stone will continue to raise money for this cause and you can help by visiting www.gofundme.com/1cqj14 to make a donation online.
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