Now nine, Jenson had won the battle against the deadly disease after several rounds of chemotherapy but the cancer returned. Doctors discovered that he was battling acute myeloid leukemia and that the cancer had come back more aggressively, spreading to 70% of the boy's body.
Jenson, who is from Penketh, England, underwent two more rounds of chemotherapy, but the treatment wasn't successful. Doctors were left with only one option – to perform a life-saving stem cell transplant using an umbilical cord from Texas which had been preserved in a freezer.
Carolyn discovered Jenson's cancer after noticing swelling on the side of his face in the rearview mirror while driving. After taking a closer look, she found that the swelling was in fact a hard lump. She took him directly to the hospital, where he underwent several tests and X-rays. Doctors ultimately decided to perform urgent biopsy.
When the results came back, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer. Jenson began treatment immediately and underwent nine months of intensive chemotherapy. He lost his hair, experienced swelling in his face and body, was continually hungry, and had angry mood swings.
A 2013 study published in the scientific journal Blood says, "Umbilical cord blood is an alternative … stem cell source for patients with hematologic diseases who can be cured by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Jenson, his dad, mom, and 18-year-old older brother recently celebrated the young boy's recovery with a family dinner.