Showing Grit; family of cancer survivor praise St. Jude Dream Home

TOPEKA (KSNT) - A Lawrence family deeply impacted by childhood cancer is voicing their support for the St. Jude Dream Home.

The Henderson family welcomed their son into the world in September of 2017. His name is Grit.

"It means never give up," Grit said.

When he was just three months old, Grit was diagnosed with a rare form of prostate cancer called embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Now looking back, Grit's father Nolan said it came as a shock.

"I had never even heard those words before in our entire lives," Nolan said. "Needless to say over six years ago now it was pretty devastating news."

Nolan said he and his wife Laura scrambled to figure out what to do. Then along came the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

"St. Jude actually had a program for this specific type of cancer," Nolan said. "The first two years it was a long grueling battle where we didn't know what was going to happen."

Fast forward to today, Grit is cancer free and living like any other six year old boy. He especially enjoys karate, which he excitedly demonstrated during an interview. KSNT 27 News asked Grit what his hobbies are.

"Probably play with my friends a lot," Grit said. "And then karate."

Nolan said Grit and their family wouldn't be where they are now without the support from St. Jude. He said the hospital gives families a whole lot more than just medical treatment.

What sets St. Jude apart is the philanthropy of it. We never received a bill for any of the treatments, any of the surgeries, any of the medicine. So you're focusing on hope instead of being sick.

Nolan Henderson, Grit's father

The goal of St. Jude's is to cure pediatric cancer and it relies on donations to make it happen. The St. Jude Dream Home in Topeka is one way they raise funds.

The annual raffle costs just $100 per ticket. The winner receives a brand-new home and all the proceeds go toward funding childhood cancer research.

Nolan said after everything St. Jude has done for his family, there's no better cause worth supporting.

"They gave us hope," He said. "And now that we are survival, we have to represent not only the other survivors, but we have to represent the angels too. And I will forever do this for that hospital because... it means that much."

There will be tours of the Dream Home throughout the month of July leading up to the raffle drawing on July 31. There are only 7,000 tickets being sold. Tickets can be purchased and more information can be found on St. Jude's website.

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