Wherever Kansas State goes to a bowl, Kaiden Schroeder and his family will be going with the team.
Schroeder, 9, has leukemia, and in April, scored a touchdown during Kansas State's spring game. On Saturday, he ran out on the field with the Wildcats on for Senior Day against Kansas and thanks to the help of donors, Schroeder and his family are going to Kansas State's bowl game.
“We have been completely blown away,” Kaiden's mom, Jenny Schroeder, told the Kansas City Star. “This will be such an amazing spirit-lifter as we get ready for another six weeks away from home.”
The six weeks Jenny refers to is a trip to Philadelphia for more treatment for Kaiden in 2015. He has acute lymphocytic leukemia and has spent two birthdays and two Christmas days in the hospital. He was diagnosed in 2009 and underwent a bone marrow transplant in early 2013.
But he relapsed in late 2013. From the Star:
Kaiden relapsed again in November 2013 and had to start back on chemo at Children’s Mercy. After that, his parents decided to place him in a clinical study at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The procedure involves removing T cells from his blood, then genetically reprogramming them to recognize and destroy the leukemia cells.
The family went to Philadelphia in February to have the T cells collected. They were to return in June so the modified cells could be put back in Kaiden’s body.
Kaiden became part of the team by befriending Kansas State senior defensive end Ryan Mueller, and wore Mueller's number while he scored his 30-yard touchdown in April.
Before the Fiesta Bowl in 2013, Mueller's mother saw a post from friends of the Schroeders on a Kansas State message board for something for Kaiden. She asked Mueller for something, and the Ryan and Kaiden developed a bond after he gave Kaiden and his sister jerseys and they played the NCAA football video game when Mueller visited and delivered the gifts.
“He beat me in the video game,” Ryan Mueller said, “and that day changed my life forever.”
As Kaiden relapsed and continued his treatment, the surprise for the spring game took shape and not only did he score a touchdown, he even had his own locker in the locker room.
Justin Barton, a K-State alum, started the fundraising drive in October with his brother to raise money for Kaiden and a parent to go to a bowl game. But his $1,500 goal was quickly obliterated and at $5,500, there's more than enough money to send Kaiden to wherever Kansas State ends up before he has to go back to Philadelphia for more of the special treatment.
“He’s done well,” Jenny Schroeder said. “The problem is that the modified T cells only stayed in his body for about two months. You want them to last at least a year or so.
“With his relapse history, there’s a strong chance of relapse again. So we’re going back. We requested to go after Christmas so we can at least be home for Christmas and New Year’s.”
For more Kansas State news, visit GoPowercat.com.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - 9-year-old with leukemia traveling to Kansas State bowl game
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