10-Year-Old Leukemia Survivor To Address PMC Kids Ride
BOSTON (CBS) - He's only ten, but he's already inspiring other kids and teaching them some important lessons about staying strong.
Brendan Barrie is battling leukemia and his family hopes his story will help other children with cancer and their families.
Brendan was just nine years old when he was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia.
His family got the news just a few days after Christmas in 2009.
"It was definitely shocking and scary too when you get told you have cancer, it's not every day that happens," he told WBZ-TV.
WBZ-TV's Lisa Hughes reports.
"The first ten months, he was really sick, so it was really scary. He missed nine months of school. He couldn't go back after he started treatment. That was pretty hard on him," said his mother Alexis.
Brendan's leukemia is now in remission and he's back in school, but he still has to undergo chemo to help keep his leukemia from coming back.
"I knew I would be o-k. All of the doctors have been phenomenal," he said.
"He's been a trooper through everything. He never complains," Alexis said.
And now Brendan has been chosen as a 'pedal partner" for the PMC Kids Ride in Newton which raises money for the Jimmy Fund at Dana Farber and patients like Brendan.
"It's really nice. I don't think everyone gets asked to be a spokesperson, it's really an honor," he said.
Alexis explains, "It's amazing because we wanted to go last year to see the PMC Kids Ride but he was so sick. And to think now he's well enough to give a speech, it's inspiring to see how far he's come. It's very exciting for us."
The PMC Kids Ride will be held in Newton Sunday June 5th.
Brendan says he hopes to actually ride in the event next year.
And he says he wants to be an oncologist when he grows up, so he can help other kids with cancer.
