2022 Youth Representative
Sharing hope with other young people in the community
A Youth Representative for the Lobo Cancer Challenge has their own experience with childhood or young adult cancer. With a story to tell, they want to encourage other young people and their families on their journey after diagnosis, and to share their hope with other young people as together we #UniteAgainstCancer!
Liam Hansen
Liam Hansen
Liam is super excited and honored to be the Lobo Cancer Challenge Youth Representative this year!
Liam’s mother, Rebekah, shares their story with us:
Liam was diagnosed in 2017 with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when he was only 2 years old. The diagnosis took our normal, carefree family and threw us all into a world we knew nothing about. Liam started on a path of chemotherapy treatments, countless procedures, multiple medications, hospital stays and much more.
Liam after he is first diagnosed; on the right with his family: Josh (Dad), Liam, Emma, Bella, and Rebekah (Mom)
All throughout, Liam remained his strong and happy self, always sweet-talking the nurses and making new friends wherever he went. Liam was coming to the end of his 3 1/2 year treatment protocol when we heard the devastating news that Liam’s cancer was back. We were shocked and scared that the reality of losing our child to this relentless disease was more possible than not.
At the beginning of 2020, Liam started the protocol treatment for relapse, but after a month into treatment, his doctors were not pleased with the results. The cancer was putting up a fight. The decision was made to send Liam to Denver Children‘s Hospital to start a new experimental treatment that was showing amazing results.
Liam’s spirit is strong throughout his treatment in 2020; on the right with sisters Bella and Emma at the 2019 Lobo Cancer Challenge
In May of 2020, Liam received the Car-t cell therapy treatment and was feeling healthier then he had been in a long time. Unfortunately, in June of 2020 we found out that the treatment had also failed. Ultimately, Liam went on to receive a bone marrow transplant in September of 2020 from his incredibly brave big sister Isabella who was his 100% match.
Today, Liam is Day +608 post-BMT and doing incredible!! To say that Liam is a fighter is an understatement. We are blessed with every new day and truly never take it for granted. We are so incredibly proud and grateful for Liam’s two beautiful sisters and their courage to never give up either. They have been their brother’s strength every step of the way.
We are a family constantly in motion so when Liam’s diagnosis came, it stopped us in our tracks. Joining the Lobo Cancer Challenge in 2019 was one way for our family to take back our lives and move forward. The same can be said today.
After surviving cancer, relapse, and a bone marrow transplant — and throw a world pandemic into the mix — we are ready to start living life again and giving back.
Liam at the 2019 Lobo Cancer Challenge; on the right with Orbit, the Isotopes mascot
We participate in the Lobo Cancer Challenge for the many incredible children we have had the honor to meet along Liam’s journey. We hold close to our hearts the ones who have gained their angel wings. We do this because we hope and pray that one day cancer won’t stand a chance when it comes to our babies.
When I asked Liam why he wanted to join the Lobo Cancer Challenge, he said: “Because I want to raise money for the hospitals and doctors so they can keep fighting cancer.”
Liam has come a long way; the Hansen family (clockwise from upper left): Bella, Josh (Dad), Rebekah (Mom), Emma and Liam.
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