Will is a typical teenage boy. He loves baseball, playing guitar and drums, video games, and hanging out with his friends. At his annual physical in December 2024, his pediatrician noticed a small lump on his neck, which led to further testing. Soon after, we received the diagnosis no parent ever wants to hear — Will had Stage 4 Hodgkin Lymphoma. Will began treatment at the MaineHealth’s Children’s Cancer Program in January 2025, undergoing six months of chemotherapy. Throughout it all, he showed remarkable strength and resilience. He continued going to school full time, performed with his Middle School Jazz Band and the High School Marching Band, and kept playing sports. Unfortunately, post treatment scans showed that the Hodgkin Lymphoma was still present and had spread and the recommendation from both MCCP and Dana Farber was for an autologous stem cell transplant at Boston Children’s Hospital. In January 2026, Will completed the stem cell retrieval process, during which his own stem cells were collected and frozen for transplant. In the meantime, he underwent three additional rounds of chemotherapy in Maine, bringing him into remission ahead of his transplant scheduled for March 2026. Will was admitted to Boston Children’s Hospital on March 5 to begin the next phase of treatment. He impressed the team with his attitude, energy, and determination. Over the next several days, he completed six straight days of high dose chemotherapy as part of the conditioning regimen. He handled it better than anyone expected — keeping up his energy, eating and drinking well, and regularly entertaining staff with whatever Nintendo game or sports he had on. On March 12, Will received his stem cell transplant — the beginning of a new chapter filled with healing, hope, and renewed strength. In the days that followed, Will continued to surprise the team. One week post transplant, he was doing “better than expected” according to his doctors. After a tough few days, we found the right combination of medications to keep nausea and pain under control. From there, the biggest step was simply waiting for his counts to rise. On March 23 (Day +11), Will’s ANC climbed above 1,000 — one of the clearest and most exciting signs of engraftment. This meant the new stem cells were settling in, growing, and beginning to produce healthy white blood cells. We were beyond excited for an early discharge on March 27 and to finally bring Will back home to Maine. His medical team told us he was a “model patient.” Now home, Will will spend the next month rebuilding his immune system. Soon he will begin maintenance chemotherapy: monthly infusions for the next year. Because he has a “new” immune system, he will also restart his immunizations to rebuild protection. Will is hoping to return to school in mid May to finish out 8th grade with his friends and enjoy all the end of year festivities. He’s also looking forward to summer — our annual Martha’s Vineyard trip, band camps, and (hopefully!) his first summer job. We remain deeply thankful for the love, outreach, and support from family, friends, and our entire community. Thank you again for supporting us and, most importantly, Will. 💕 — Allison, Tim, Will and James #StrongWill