It should have been nothing more than a slip and fall for 10-year-old Landon. Sure, it hurt – he landed right on his tailbone – but that should have been the end of it. Except it wasn’t. Instead of getting better, Landon got worse – to the point where he was having trouble getting up and down the school bus steps.
After some X-rays, and then finally an MRI, doctors figured it out. It was leukemia – a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Chemo started right away. A lot of it. Not cool.
Landon had actually been on Team Summer’s list for awhile, nominated by Team Summer kid Briley. She was all set to surprise Landon with tickets to see the Atlanta Braves. He’s a big fan and hanging out with his favorite team would have definitely cheered him up. But the pandemic shut down that game…and all the rest of them. But even if there were games, Landon couldn’t go anymore. His weakened immune system – thanks to chemo – makes the pandemic extra dangerous for him. So for Landon, this has meant staying home almost all the time. SO boring!
Luckily, Briley helped come up with another surprise gift, one Landon could use while he hung out at home! Over a Zoom call, she welcomed him to Team Summer!
Now, back in the old days of Team Summer (February!), Landon’s parents would have gotten Landon out of the house earlier in the day while Team Summer volunteers set up this gift in the backyard for the reveal. But in this time of the coronavirus, we had to settle for Briley telling him there was a big box on his front porch!
Thankfully, the box had a picture on it, and Landon knew immediately what it was – a trampoline! But not just any trampoline. THIS trampoline came with a basketball hoop!
Landon’s dad put it together right away, and Landon wasted no time!
Now life at home is a lot more fun! Way to go, Briley! You made this new Team Summer kid very happy!
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While Team Summer waits for the coronavirus to pass and it’s safe for kids with cancer to be together again, we’re doing all of our gifts virtually like this one!
