“You wouldn’t even know
Cutler ever had cancer unless he pulled up his shirt to show off his second
belly button,” said Cutler Fricke’s father, Aaron.
Cutler, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, North Texas Chapter’s 2014 Links Fore
Leukemia Golf Tournament honored hero, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) on September
11, 2009, just a few days shy of being six months old.
“It
was like a punch to the gut, it kind of knocked all of the wind out of us,”
Aaron said. “At that point we didn’t even know what leukemia really was.”
According
to the National Cancer Institute, AML is only found in two of every 100,000
children less than one-year-old. In addition to the low rate of occurrence,
less than 50 percent of children diagnosed with AML are cured of the disease.
Cutler
was said to be in remission after the first round of chemotherapy but the doctors
believed a second round of chemo would be helpful until they could find a
matching donor for a blood transplant. After finding out his older brother Mason
wasn’t a match, the blood bank was able to find a donor whose umbilical cord
blood allowed for a successful stem-cell transplant.
Within
three months of the transplant, Cutler was released from the hospital and sent
home with just a G-tube—the source of his second belly button—in place until he
could eat on his own again.
The
transplant has since allowed for Cutler to lead the life of a normal four-year-old. He goes to school, spends time with his brother, and even plays sports
like baseball and soccer.
His
dad says that Cutler has even begun skating and hitting golf balls so that he
can eventually play hockey and golf like his older brother, Mason.
“Golf
is a big part of my life,” Aaron said. “I played in the Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament for the first time last year but I ultimately hope we can compete
as a family team with Mason, Cutler, my dad, and myself.”
Today
the Frickes spare no opportunities to help LLS. Since Cutler has been in
remission, Aaron and his wife, Melanie, have been involved with LLS through Light
the Night, Team in Training, and Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament.
Fortunately
the Frickes didn’t need financial assistance from the LLS, and the support
from their family and friends allowed for Aaron and Melanie to be present every
day that Cutler was in the hospital.
“We
walked past rooms in the hospital where we would see kids all alone because
their parents had to work,” Aaron said.
“It
really enlightened us to the reality of the situation and helped us to see
where the money and services provided by LLS is going to its best use.”
Aaron
says that the compassion his family received, and the ever present need for
awareness and donations is what inspires the Frickes to do whatever they can
for LLS.
“When
LLS asks us to do something we don’t even bat an eye,” Aaron said. “This all
occurred for a reason, and we believe that reason is to help raise money for
LLS so that they can find a cure and raise awareness. We just want to give back
what was given to us.”
Join Culter at the 2014 Links Fore Leukemia Golf Tournament presented by Venari Resources on Monday, May 12th by reserving your foursome now. Register here.
John Jacob Hough, a University of North Texas student, provided this post.
