Young cancer warrior receives a room makeover by the Phillies
LANGHORNE, Pa. (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Phillies gave a young fan and cancer survivor a makeover for his bedroom Thursday as part of the team's support for September's Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
"Sorry," Kristin Linder's voice trailed during their interview with CBS News Philadelphia.
She and her husband Gary began to cry as they remembered the fear and frustration of January 2022. That is when their 3-year-old boy Rowan became ill and started a series of trips to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. The couple remembered one day when they took Rowan to the hospital and tests revealed no answers.
"And within 24 hours, we were back. And you couldn't touch him. He was in so much pain," Kristin said.
"Yeah it was a rough night," Gary remembered.
The family finally got an answer on Feb. 1 of that year.
"Acute Myeloid Leukemia," Kristin said.
"Yeah, AML," Gary said.
Gary remembered how the family spent many nights in the hospital, while Rowan healed and played.
"Running around playing in the hospital, with a port in medicine, like, 'Can you just relax?'" Gary said.
Rowan's parents said he started watching Phillies games with them in his hospital room. Thursday, volunteers from the team front office gave the child's bedroom a full Phillies-themed makeover. They did it while and his big sister Aubrey were at school. The kids had no idea what was coming. The Phillie Phanatic and the Phillies Ballgirls were waiting when the children arrived at the bus stop. After meeting Phillies legends Mickey Morandini and Milt Thompson, it was time for the big reveal.
Rowan's parents said all this comes just after the boy celebrated his first year of remission.
"I think it's perfect," Kristin said looking around the transformed room. "This is a perfect day. It's a perfect year for Rowan and Aubrey, and we're just excited to see like all the happiness good stuff coming for both the kids."
The Phillies will have the childhood cancer awareness night Saturday at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is at 6:07 p.m. EDT. Rowan and his family will be at the game.