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Community comes together to help 4-year-old battling rare form of cancer

Posted at 7:15 PM, Jun 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-24 22:19:13-04

A little cowboy in Navarro County is fighting a tough battle, but he isn't going through it alone.

It all started a couple of months ago when 4-year-old Brody Brunton fell out of a chair and landed on his neck. Ben Brunton, Brody's father, said it was hurting him for weeks. He even had trouble bending down to pick up eggs on Easter morning.

Ben said they took him to multiple doctors and even a chiropractor, but no one could find out why Brody's pain wasn't going away.

He and his wife then took him to Children's Medical Center in Dallas and within a few days, they heard the devastating news. 

"Shocked, scared, helpless," said Kristen Brunton, Brody's mother. "That's a mom's job, to keep her kids safe and cancer is silent."

 Brody was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer.

"I was afraid that I would lose him," Kristen said. "That we would be separated."

"It was hard news to take," Ben said. "I was speechless for the most part.'

The Bruntons immediately made their main focus saving Brody's life, visiting the hospital every few weeks for chemotherapy treatment.

"It's like a three-ring circus," Ben said. "You're always moving and going back and forth. You never know what you're going to do each day because it's unknown. 

Ben and Kristen also have two young girls, Emma who's nine years old and Anna who's seven years old. 

Once the community heard what was going on with one of its youngest members, they quickly jumped in to help.

Ben said people took it upon themselves to host multiple fundraisers to help with medical costs. They've also made t-shirts and bracelets.

"We want to thank all the people who have helped us," Ben said. "The countless hours put into these events and visits and especially the prayers. Prayer works and we truly believe that God hears them.

"It's amazing how many people are helping," Kristen said. "It's just nice to know that many people can stand behind one little, small person and he's actually probably stronger than any of us." 

Brody finished up his fourth round of chemotherapy a few days ago. His parents said that he is still in high spirits and loves going out to tend to his farm animals.

"He keeps saying he's not sick," Kristen said. "He doesn't like to go to the hospital, but he never likes to leave because he's having fun when he's there. When we get home, he says 'I'm home' and when we go back he says 'I'm back' and makes all the nurses laugh."

"He hasn't lost a step," Ben said. "If he wasn't losing his hair, you wouldn't even know he was sick. He's handling it really well."

Brody will start his fifth round of treatment on July 10. Doctors will then check to see if the 10 tumors spread throughout his body have shrunk. 

"If it's looking good, the way it's supposed to, he'll have surgery at the end of July," Kristen said. 

"We just hope that Brody continues to bless people the way that everybody has blessed us," Ben said.

Ben and Kristen are asking people to continue sending their prayers.

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