EDMOND, Okla. – There is nothing that makes Curran Bradley’s eyes light up faster than toy cars.
The talkative, bright 3-year-old from Edmond has a big car collection but is always on the look out for new ones.
“The spoiler is gone, but that’s okay,” Curran says as he holds up a car.
Curran is able to focus on his love for cars now because he’s feeling much better physically. Six months ago, he became the center of a “crazy whirlwind.”
“I called Kyle and said ‘I’m bringing him into the emergency room, and we’re doing blood tests because I think he has leukemia,'” said Curran’s mom, Olivia.
Kyle Woodson, who was Olivia’s boyfriend at the time, worked as a pediatrician in the emergency room at OU.
Olivia knew Curran’s symptoms were vague. He had an off and on limp, and seemed more tired than usual.
Nevertheless, she said her hands were shaking as she drove her son to the hospital. She also had no idea her boyfriend had been planning an engagement weekend starting the very next day.
Kyle was certain tests would calm Olivia’s fears and their plans would be able to proceed as he intended. But, then the blood tests came back positive for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, ALL.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh no, I can’t tell her. I can’t do this,'” he said.
Olivia said the first month after the diagnosis was “terrible.” Curran was in and out of the hospital with infections and fevers.
Despite the trying times, the engagement did happen – but in the hospital and not on the beach. At the wedding, Curran played a star role.
“It was very not a structured wedding,” Oliva said. “In all the photos, Curran is on the ground or pointing at us during the ceremony… The pictures are so great.”
Pediatric oncologist Dr. Anand Srinivasin from Jimmy Everest Cancer Center laughs when asked what Curran is like as a patient.
“I would say he’s very fun loving, strong kid. There’s a lot of sassiness in him,” he said.
He said it’s encouraging to see Curran regain his motor skills and sunny disposition now that his cancer is in remission, and his chemotherapy treatments are not as intense since he’s in the maintenance phase of treatment.
“He falls into the average risk, which means he’s got an excellent chance for long term survival,” he said.
“The people here are awesome,” Olivia said about the staff at Jimmy Everest.
She and her new husband are still trying to catch their breath after the past six months. They treasure happy moments together with Curran, their little Lightening McQueen, as he plays with his cars on his bedroom floor.
If you’d like to help kids like Curran fight cancer, consider donating to JECFriends.org.
‘Kids with Courage’ is sponsored by the Jimmy Everest Center.