Walk for Kids 2023 - Long Beach: Team Ford Tough - Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California

Team Ford Tough

Welcome to Our Walk for Ford Team Page

We are participating in the 2023 Walk for Kids to raise funds to support a “home-away-from-home” for critically ill children and their families. I hope that you will join us in raising money for the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House.

Healing Happens Together, any amount – grand or small – makes a difference!

Please share this page with friends, family and your co-workers so that we can help those who desperately need a "home-away-from-home" for critically ill children and their families.

We thank you for your support!

Hi there, I'm Ford!

At just 9 months young, I was diagnosed with cancer-Ewing Sarcoma - a rare bone disease to be exact. My world was flipped upside down when a tumor was discovered and I had emergency spinal surgery. Unfortunately, the cancer was metastatic- it was also found in my lung. At my time of diagnosis, I was one of a handful of infants to be diagnosed with this cancer- making my case extremely rare. I then had my second of four surgeries to place a port-a-cath in my chest. This is how I would receive my chemo and all IV antibiotics and medicine. I started chemotherapy immediately, every 10-14 days. I celebrated my first birthday with my team of nurses and doctors. This was our normal. After a few months of chemo, I then began six weeks of daily sedated, proton therapy (radiation), in San Diego. My parents drove me every single day before the sun came up for my treatments, and when it was a chemo-week, I was admitted to Rady Children’s Hospital and would receive a double whammy of both chemo and radiation in the same day. Over the next year, I continued my bi-weekly regimen of IV chemotherapy. I’ve had about 55 blood and platelets transfusions (thank you to all blood donors who help saved my life and others!).

I finally rang “the bell” October 22, 2021, signifying my end of treatment. Another year later, I hit a huge milestone, and had my port removed! Due to the aggressiveness of Ewing Sarcoma, I still have monthly lab draws to check my counts, and scans every three months for the next five years to keep a close eye on me. After five years, my scans schedule will slowly get further apart. It's been a grueling few years to the start of my life, but I live one day at a time, thankful for being in my own bed and with my family each day. And while I won’t remember the physical treatment I endured as a baby, I will always be a part of the cancer world and know that it has shaped me into the little warrior I have become and will always advocate for childhood cancer awareness! I am FORD TOUGH!