On April 4, the doctors diagnosed Joshua Stuart, 6, with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He’s set to spend the next six months in chemotherapy. And his parents, Adrianne and Jason Stewart, have positive hopes in spite of the 65 percent life expectancy.
Joshua was adopted in the Philippines as a baby. His parents knew that their son suffered from anemia, but never dreamed that the young boy would have to battle such an aggressive illness.
Just last October, the Stewart family celebrated the one-year adoption of their youngest daughter, Maria, a sweet, three-year-old girl who was born without limbs. She’s from the same country as her older brother Joshua.
“Maria doesn’t understand what’s going on with her brother,” Adrianne said in an article by People. “She’s worried though.”
AML is an aggressive form of cancer that starts in the bone marrow, but quickly spreads through the body. According to the American Cancer Society, most patients diagnosed with AML can only live a few months without treatment.
Adrianne mentioned their choice to not tell Joshua that it’s possible to die from cancer. “We don’t want him to have fear or sadness.”
Joshua receives a lot of hospital visits and support from his family. Jason is currently as bald as his son.
“We’re just trying to take one day at a time,” Adrianne said.
A family friend set up a GoFundMe account for the Stewarts, saying, “I want to help out in any way that I can.”
