Lennon the Neuroblastoma Giant Slayer

Hi, my name is Marcie and I am raising funds for my best friend's two-year-old daughter, Lennon. Lennon has been diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The following is shared with permission from the Russell family.

Hello Friends and Family,

We want to share some updates with you and also some prayer requests that we have. Two weeks ago Lennon, our two-year-old daughter, developed a fever that lasted for almost six days straight. We met with her doctor and it appeared to be a viral infection with no other symptoms and the fever dissipated. Three days later she began having leg pain and would not use her right leg. We went back to see the pediatrician and were told to go to the emergency room to rule out a septic infection due to the virus Lennon had the week prior.

At the emergency room, it was discovered that Lennon has a mass above her right kidney in the adrenal glands. After many rounds of tests, Lennon was diagnosed with neuroblastoma on Friday, July, 14th. Neuroblastoma has many different forms and right now it appears there are no additional tumors or growths. She goes in for a bone scan this Wednesday, July 18th, and this is where we need prayer. We’re praying that the test reveals there is no growth whatsoever and the Lord miraculously heals our baby girl. We are praying that there is nothing in her bones and nothing in her bone marrow. Neuroblastoma doesn’t share similar stages with other types of cancer, but if it had to be categorized it would be stage 2 or stage 3. We have to be sure it has not metastasized.

We are asking everyone to pray that when the doctors perform the nuclear medicine test on Wednesday, nothing lights up on the screen. That there is no cancer in her bones. This is a concern due to her leg pain. Her leg pain is in the right leg, which is on the opposite side of her body from where the tumor is right now. An operating room has already been booked for Thursday morning, July 20th. If the test on Wednesday shows the cancer is not in her bones, they will put a port in and remove the tumor. Otherwise, a port will be placed and a bone marrow biopsy will be done and we will start chemotherapy.

We know our God is big and He is strong and we are praying for a miracle for our baby girl. She has been traumatized by everything already. Lennon’s name comes from Song of Solomon 8:5 which says, “Who is this arising from her wilderness leaning on her beloved?” Lennon’s name means, “beloved.” Monroe means, “mouth of the river,” which is a place of life. Beloved Life. The Lord told us when she was born that she was going to be a prophetic picture of what He was going to do in our lives. Of good things, coming out of the wilderness, and coming out of our desert season. If you’re familiar with the story of the Israelites coming out of the wilderness and into the promised land, the promised land was filled with giants. The Lord told me (Brant) two years ago before we moved back to Texas that we were stepping into a new season and that the wilderness journey that we had been on was laying the foundation of a new faith in us. When we entered the new season, He would be doing a new thing and there would be giants and we would need that new faith to slay them.

So, here we are. This is certainly a giant and this battle is bigger than us, but we are believing for a miracle. We want to share a verse that the Lord gave our oldest daughter, Adelaide, the day that Lennon came into the emergency room. We were praying for her at home before we ever had a diagnosis, and she opened up her bible and turned to this story found in Luke 8:41. “Once upon a time, there was a man named Jairus, who came to Jesus because his daughter was dying. And Jesus said to Jairus, do not be afraid. Just believe, and she will be healed.” That is the scripture we are holding onto right now. We ask that you will pray with us. We just want to bring Lennon home.

We are so thankful for our community. We need you. We need you for prayer and encouragement and hope when the nights are dark. We are believing for a miracle on Wednesday. Please share this. Spread the word. We need anyone and everyone to pray for Lennon. Pray for her sister Adelaide as we are taking turns away from home at night and she is spending more time at the hospital, too. We thank you and will update you soon.