SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY (WAVE) - A Bullitt County family said their five-year-old child falling and breaking his arm was a blessing in disguise.
Derrick Schott, 5, of Shepherdsville, goes by DJ.
On Dec. 7, 2018 while at school, his mother said another child stepped on his untied shoelace and DJ fell. At first, no one realized how bad DJ’s fall was. He was in some pain, so his family took him to the ER.
They found out DJ broke his humerus bone -- but the doctors noticed something else.
“They see a mass and they needed to do a biopsy,” Sandra Tillett, DJ’s mother, said.
Tillett said things started happening quickly. DJ was admitted to Norton Children’s Hospital where doctors tried to find out what that mass was.
A bone biopsy was performed that determined DJ has Osteosarcoma, which is a type of bone cancer.
“Than you start thinking amputation, is my kid going to have an arm,” Tillett said. “I know it wouldn’t bother him. It would me more than him. This kid is so strong, he has not cried.”
The good news, doctors said, is the cancer is contained in just his humerus bone.
DJ started chemotherapy treatments and his doctors want him to be home for the holidays. While in the hospital and at home, DJ has been flooded with gifts and cards from strangers and friends.
“There is a lot,” Tillett said. “Cards from Hawaii, California, Indiana, Connecticut, Texas, and New York. I believe there is a lot of strength in prayer and he’s got a lot of people praying for him.”
The fact that people have taken time out for DJ and his family means so much to Tillett.
Time in the hospital, pokes by needles, and a sling on his arm hasn’t phased DJ. He’s still bouncing around, flying airplanes at his house, and showing off his toys.
Cancer isn’t getting the best of this five-year-old.
If you would like to send DJ a card, you can mail it to:
609 Shady Glen Circle
Shepherdsville, Kentucky 40165
Follow his progress on Facebook by clicking or tapping here.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help support DJ and his family.
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