PORT ANGELES — The first months of little Alexander De Leon’s life haven’t been easy.
Not even 2 years old yet, the Port Angeles toddler is in his fourth round of chemotherapy to fight a rare form of liver cancer.
In between his treatments at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, Alexander still smiles, plays and enjoys watching his favorite movie, “Shrek 2,” as his body goes through more illness than most children will ever experience.
“He’s a pretty tough kid and he’s still pretty happy, considering everything he’s going through,” said Alexander’s mom, Aleisha Autrey.
Alexander, who turns 2 next month, was diagnosed in early February with hepatoblastoma after doctors discovered a 9-by-6-by-13-centimeter tumor growing inside his liver.
The cancer was in an advanced stage and had spread to the boy’s lungs, his mother said.
Three rounds of chemotherapy helped to keep the cancer in his lungs the same size or smaller than it had been, said Autrey.
But the tumor in his liver has started to grow back, which doctors discovered after Alexander was hospitalized a few weeks ago for pneumonia.
When what’s in Alexander’s lungs is wiped out, doctors can then operate on his liver tumor or considered a liver transplant, Autrey said.
Once the tumor is removed, Alexander has a 70-percent cure rate, she said.
One in a million
Fewer than one in 1 million children will be diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, according to information from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Most patients are diagnosed by the time they are 2.
Autrey said it is more common in boys and in babies born prematurely, which fits Alexander’s profile — an “extreme preemie,” he was born when his mother was 28 weeks pregnant and he weighed one pound three ounces.
Alexander is still small for his size now, weighing about 20 pounds.
Since first being hospitalized on Jan. 31, Alexander’s mom and his dad, Esteban De Leon, have been traveling between Seattle and Port Angeles.
The couple, who are engaged, have been staying with De Leon’s mother at the Ronald McDonald House across the street from Children’s Hospital.
Autrey, 24, and De Leon, 26, both are employed at K Ply Inc., though Autrey hasn’t been back to work since Jan. 31, she said.
They will switch in May, with Autrey returning to her job and De Leon taking time off to be with their son.
Alexander’s parents are hopeful that his cancer will be cured, and right now they are dealing with it “just one day at a time,” Autrey said.
“Otherwise it’s just too much.”
Alexander’s medical expenses are being covered by Medicaid, but friends have set up an account to help Autrey and De Leon pay their household bills while only one of them is working.
Contributions can be made to “The Alexander Cancer Fund” at Strait-View Credit Union, 220 S. Lincoln St., Port Angeles.
Autrey said they are thankful to everyone who has already supported their family.