Fight like Atlas

Fight like Atlas Single mom fighting for my son Atlas. Stage 4 refractory neuroblastoma, 20% prognosis. GFM below, Atlas needs life saving surgery in NYC.

Sharing our journey, the reality of pediatric cancer, and asking for support as we fight for his life.

Atlas is up and out of bed already, 15 hours after surgery! I got a part of the game plan. Atlas will be receiving chemo...
06/11/2026

Atlas is up and out of bed already, 15 hours after surgery! I got a part of the game plan.

Atlas will be receiving chemotherapy immediately after he is approved for it by his surgeon. He has to be disconnected from all tubes and wires and good to go. This will most likely be a week from yesterday. He will get low dose cyclo/topo.

A second surgery is necessary to remove the remainder of the tumor due to how high risk and aggressive his neuroblastoma is. We can't risk leaving any of it in there, it just leaves more risk for recurrence and spread. This will be after 5 days of chemotherapy and after some time for his counts to come up. So we will have to do this all over again 💔

After the second surgery, Atlas will need proton radiation therapy after his incision sites are more healed. This is for the Mets on his skull and any microscopic disease in his abdomen. This will either take place in NYC or MN, depending on the best route for Atlas.

It is looking like we will be here until the middle of July, potentially. All of this is a lot to take in, but we have a straight path forward at the best hospital for Atlas's cancer.

The next month is going to be nothing short of pain and healing and more pain for little Atlas.

I was asked to post our GFM to help us get through this, I'll link it below. Please don't feel obligated, I appreciate all of the support and the prayers and comments. Thank you to all of you for loving Atlas. I will set up an Amazon wishlist for him also, as I was asked for that a few times. ❤️

It's going to be a really long month and a half, anxiety and sadness don't even cover what I'm feeling. I was really hoping they would be able to get the whole tumor instead of two surgeries. Dr. Gerstle truly is incredible, Atlas should not have had the surgery in December at Iowa- because that is the reason why. There is too much scar tissue inside to pull everything out. Now he has to go through all of this pain all over again in a few weeks.

https://gofund.me/2cb927135

He's awake ❤️ I could not be more proud of him.
06/11/2026

He's awake ❤️ I could not be more proud of him.

Atlas had a tough night. His eyes have been swollen shut due to his kidneys retaining fluid from surgery- but that's exp...
06/11/2026

Atlas had a tough night. His eyes have been swollen shut due to his kidneys retaining fluid from surgery- but that's expected to go down. He has been mildly uncomfortable, they had to up his epidural, today they put him on toradol also to manage his pain.

He is awake and talking, thankfully. His little voice is so precious. He did tell me he loved me last night ❤️

He woke up and threw up all over himself around 3 AM. The nausea from anesthesia got through the zofran and hit him pretty hard- but they got him comfortable quickly. Last operation Atlas had an NG to decompress his stomach to avoid throwing up post-op, but not this time. They did not think he needed it.

His bowels are starting to wake up, he got cleared to eat today. His one goal is to sit in my lap and be up for a little bit, tomorrow his goal will be to walk. As painful as it will be, this is important for his healing.

Also- his liver enzymes are incredibly high as they had to peel the tumor off of his liver, so Tylenol is less of an option currently until they go down.

He's in and out of sleep currently, the pain meds and everything have made it hard for him. But he's a fighter 🎗️❤️

Sweet boy is so swollen and uncomfy, but he did it. The bravest boy ❤️‍🩹
06/11/2026

Sweet boy is so swollen and uncomfy, but he did it. The bravest boy ❤️‍🩹

Memorial Sloan Kettering surgery update:Dr. Gerstle was able to successfully clear Atlas's right side with clean margins...
06/11/2026

Memorial Sloan Kettering surgery update:

Dr. Gerstle was able to successfully clear Atlas's right side with clean margins. He couldn't reach the left side due to the extensive adhesions from Atlas's surgery in December, so we don't know if a second surgery is needed yet- we find out next week. I am still beating myself up about saying yes to surgery in December, as it only complicated things due to excessive internal scar tissue. Dr. Gerstle truly is incredible. He was able to safely pry the tumor off of Atlas's inferior Vena Cava and his aortic vessels along with his kidney ureters. Atlas is still asleep from anesthesia and I have not been able to see him yet- but I'm waiting.

If a second surgery is needed, we will be in NYC longer. 860 miles away from home, and everything we know. We find out after his MRI may 15th. Anything donated will go to transportation, food for us, any needs in the hospital and possibly transportation home ✈️.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting Atlas and our family during this trip to New York City for his surgery.

Today, Atlas underwent a major surgery, and hearing that his surgeons were able to remove everything visible from his right side was a moment I will never forget. While we still have a long road ahead, your kindness helped us get here.

Thank you for standing beside us, praying for Atlas, sharing our story, donating, and reminding us that we are not facing this alone. Every contribution, no matter the size, has made a real difference for our family.

With gratitude,

Jacqueline, Atlas, and Gaia

I've never shared the why of their names. Gaia was named after the Earth. Atlas was named after the Titan who carries th...
06/10/2026

I've never shared the why of their names.

Gaia was named after the Earth. Atlas was named after the Titan who carries the Earth on his shoulders. When I chose their names, I imagined Atlas growing up strong and protective, always looking out for his big sister.

Then life rewrote the meaning of their names. Because somewhere along the way, it was Gaia helping carry Atlas. Not because he isn’t strong. He is stronger than most adults I know, but because love has a way of shifting the weight when someone you love is tired.

I thought Atlas would hold up Gaia but instead they hold each other.

The adrenal mass is OUT!! Atlas is still in surgery, but Dr. Gerstle is ecstatic! 🙌🏻🎗️
06/10/2026

The adrenal mass is OUT!! Atlas is still in surgery, but Dr. Gerstle is ecstatic! 🙌🏻🎗️

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