This Is 10 Months With Pediatric Cancer

Update: We are saddened to learn that Logan Swearingen passed away on Dec. 11, 2016 after a two-and-a-half year fight against cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, who so kindly shared their personal journey with us in 2015.

Original Story: My knowledge about pediatric cancer is limited. I know it's scary and sad and that the kids going through it are remarkable. But aside from that, as a parent, my brain just couldn't go there. That is until recently, as I have been able to witness the amazing Swearingen family, aka Logan's Liberators, in their fight against their 4-year-old son Logan's neuroblastoma diagnosis (not to mention the cystic fibrosis he was already battling), which has taught me some big lessons in life.

I've learned that parents of children with cancer have the hardest full-time job anyone could imagine: keeping their children alive. It's not something they applied for. They didn't submit résumés — they were handed this title without warning or qualifications, yet they do it as if they've been training for it their whole lives.

I've learned that a little boy named Logan is challenging what I thought it meant to be strong. I've learned that sometimes the littlest of people leave the biggest impact. I've learned that some win the fight and some lose. I've learned that the kindness of strangers does matter. I've learned that it's painful to witness such a small boy facing such a hard time but that we shouldn't turn our backs on these families just because it's hard to see.

I've also learned there is so much more we can be doing to help fight pediatric cancer, and if you'd like to help, Unravel Pediatric Cancer and Alex's Lemonade Stand are blazing the trail.

I've also learned that any of us could be appointed to this position in life. And while I simply cannot imagine what raising a child with cancer feels like on a day-to-day basis, these images from the last 10 months of this little guy's fight provide a tiny glimpse into not only what it involves and the courage it takes, but also the love that it endures — and as Logan's mom simply stated, "Love cannot be killed. Not even by cancer."

But, most importantly, I've learned that this is 10 months with pediatric cancer . . .

This is Logan.

This is Logan.

This is neuroblastoma.

This is neuroblastoma.

This is innocence.

This is innocence.

This is excitement.

This is excitement.

This is family time.

This is family time.

This is chemo.

This is chemo.

This is love.

This is love.

This is stem-cell therapy.

This is stem-cell therapy.

This is getting around.

This is getting around.

This is powerful.

This is powerful.

This is strength.

This is strength.

This is nausea.

This is nausea.

This is a superhero.

This is a superhero.

This is Halloween.

This is Halloween.

This is sightseeing.

This is sightseeing.

This is a playdate.

This is a playdate.

This is Christmas.

This is Christmas.

This is heartbreaking.

This is heartbreaking.

This is snuggling.

This is snuggling.

This is brave.

This is brave.

This is homebound.

This is homebound.

This is determined.

This is determined.

This is radiation.

This is radiation.

This is comfort.

This is comfort.

This is cherishing the small things.

This is cherishing the small things.

This is an achievement.

This is an achievement.

This is hope.

This is hope.

This is sibling love.

This is sibling love.

This is enduring.

This is enduring.

This is an antibody infusion.

This is an antibody infusion.

This is a wish.

This is a wish.

This is a fighter.

This is a fighter.