In January 2023, at just 13-months-old, Griffin Koerber was showing serious symptoms of something his mom and dad were not expecting, loss of motor skills on his right side and extreme irritation even for a baby. Griffin was rushed to the hospital Emergency Room where he would go through several tests and scans to find out that he had a mass in his brain roughly 1/3 its size. This started the battle of his life. He was diagnosed with brain cancer and he has a long journey ahead of him.
Five months later, Griffin Strong has now a very serious meaning as Little Griffin has gone through 6 rounds of chemo, 10 blood transfusion, and 2 brain surgeries.
Griffin loves to play outside and attack bubbles, dance to music and laugh. Whether it’s in the hospital with new friends getting through the toughest challenges together, or at home blasting music and playing with water and bubbles outside, Griff always has a smile on his face! Griffin is a light and a warrior.
Griffin and his family still have a long road to go but they know God has been with them every step of the way and has shown his goodness more times than they can count! Facing a cancer diagnosis on our child has been the hardest thing his family has ever had to face. They pray everyday that no one else is forced to experience what they have been forced to experience.
The already feel so blessed by their community. The love and support they have received and continue to receive has helped carry them through. As they walk through this life altering challenge, they are faced with both good days and bad. They have joy, tears and laughter thread throughout their days. They pray for many more years of enjoying their beautiful baby Griffin.
The family is now in San Diego at a long-term hotel because the Ronald McDonald House is full and they are number 179 on the waiting list. They will be staying in San Diego for six weeks before they head to Stanford for three months for more chemo and stem cell replenishment treatment. The remote living expenses and hotel expenses are exorbitant. #hersmile thanks you for your donation. Please remember no amount is too small. Even if everyone gave a $1 we could greatly help Griffin and his family.
Griffin’s Triumph: Home and Thriving After Radiation Treatment | Positive Update on Recovery Journey
Griffin is happy to be home with his own toys after 6 weeks of radiation treatments. Over the last six weeks, he had 30 treatments of proton radiation which included daily sedation for treatment. Thankfully he experienced no negative side effects and continued to play, grow, and make new friends the entire time. In fact, in the last six weeks, Griff grew 1/2 an inch and put on 3 pounds of weight! Praise God!
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Coming out of radiation, Griffin’s treatment plan continues. He and his family are heading directly into the next step with only about a week of rest. The next step in the process is a stem cell transplant with high-dose chemo. Thankfully the stem cells are his own and the doctors are expecting Griffin to handle the treatment well! However, with this treatment comes extremely high insulation protocols, diet changes, and long inpatient stays. This process is expected to take about 3 months and is the final step in treatment.
