Kevin’s Journey

How it Started…

For months, Kevin had been battling pneumonia that wouldn’t go away — fatigue, trouble breathing, lingering no matter what treatment he tried.

In late January 2026, he went to urgent care, still in his work clothes from school. An EKG picked up an anomaly that turned out to be nothing — but it was enough to send him to the hospital. There, bloodwork told a different story: his white blood cell count was severely elevated. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed it.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia. FLT3-positive. [You can read more about what that means here.]

Kevin went to urgent care that day and didn’t come home for over a month.

The Hospital Stay

Kevin was transferred from Loudoun to Inova Fairfax, and Jessie stayed with him throughout — through the stress and the adrenaline and the long uncertain stretches of not knowing what came next. Jessie’s parents were there from day one, taking care of Zia for the entire duration so Jessie could be present with Kevin. We are so grateful to them.

The induction chemotherapy hit Kevin hard. He developed severe mucositis — sores throughout his mouth and throat so painful that for a long stretch he could not speak, was in significant pain, and lost a considerable amount of weight. His liver took a real hit from the medications. Near the end of the stay, when Kevin was finally ready to come home, Jessie came down with strep. Jessie’s sister and her husband stepped in to help get Kevin safely home while Jessie recovered.

He came through it.

Outpatient Consolidation: Where We Are Now

Since coming home, Kevin has been doing outpatient consolidation chemotherapy at Virginia Cancer Specialists in Fairfax — the phase of treatment designed to maintain his remission while we work toward the transplant. Each cycle is approximately one month, and as soon as one ends, the next begins. There is no real break between them.

Each cycle follows a similar pattern:

Week one is a grind. Kevin has long days of IV chemotherapy (cytarabine) at the infusion center — several hours in the chair, multiple days in a row. He comes home connected to a portable infusion pump on his central line that runs through the night. Eye drops are required every four hours while awake as a precaution against one of the drug’s side effects, which means fragmented sleep throughout. It’s relentless.

Weeks two and three are when the cumulative effects settle in. The IV chemo has ended, but Kevin begins Rydapt — a pill form of chemotherapy that specifically targets his FLT3 mutation — taken twice daily with food. This is also when his blood counts hit their lowest point, and when food starts tasting wrong or metallic, and mouth blisters return. He makes the 45-minute drive each way to Fairfax multiple times a week for bloodwork and transfusions — red blood cells when his energy crashes, platelets when needed. It’s tedious and tiring, but it’s what keeps him stable while his marrow recovers.

Then counts climb, things start to improve — and we go again.

Staying Informed and Engaged

Staying informed about Kevin’s progress is vital for those who care about him. We will regularly update this site with news, treatment updates, and ways to support him. Your involvement can range from sharing this site with others to participating in fundraising events. Every little bit helps, and together we can create a strong support network for Kevin.

In addition to staying updated, we invite you to share your stories and messages of encouragement. Your words can provide comfort and strength to Kevin and his family. Let’s unite in this journey, showing that love and support can overcome even the toughest challenges.