HOT SPRINGS -- Logan Kirksey, a 7-year-old cancer patient from Hot Spring County, was surprised with a party just for him Friday as he learned he and his family will travel to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia through the efforts of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Kirksey was told by his parents, Carrie and Ernie Sexton, that he was going to a party Friday at a Garland County business, but he was surprised by several dozen friends, family members, volunteers and others. He learned he will soon travel with his parents and younger sister, Emma Sexton. Kirksey clung to his father at the beginning of the party.
"He's usually not shy, but him walking in and seeing everybody go 'Surprise!' He was probably a little shocked," Carrie Sexton said.
The party included arcade games, a photo backdrop, cake, cupcakes, snacks, drinks, games and marine themed decorations. Sexton said the surprise exceeded her expectations.
"It's awesome. It looks great. I'm really just like, 'Wow,'" Sexton said. "They did a great job, a really great job. He loves it. He will be wanting to take little souvenirs from each table home. I guarantee it."
Kirksey was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in February 2014. Ewing's is a primary bone cancer that mainly affects children and adolescents. It originates in bone cells, typically in the long bones of the arms and legs or bones in the chest, trunk, pelvis, back or head.
Ewing's is the second-most common bone cancer in children, but only accounts for about 1 percent of all childhood cancers. About 200 children and young adults are diagnosed each year in the U.S.
Kirksey underwent 14 rounds of chemotherapy conducted for four days at a time every three weeks. He was also treated with six rounds of radiation therapy last summer and another week of radiation in December.
"He has been the strongest kid ever," Sexton said. "He has never slowed down. He has the best attitude of anybody I know and so much wisdom. He just does what he has to do, keeps on smiling and enjoys life. He does not slow down, not one bit."
The family was given the "all clear" around Christmas, but doctors discovered an abnormality in his lung after a CT scan this February. Another scan and MRI revealed the main tumor had returned, along with several other spots in his lungs.
Doctors have planned for another year of treatment. Kirksey will take a different combination of prescriptions for his chemo.
Physicians will begin to harvest stem cells next week. They plan to conduct a stem cell transplant after most of the cancer has been removed again.
A program on the Discovery Channel introduced Kirksey to the Great Barrier Reef several months after he was diagnosed. Sexton said he thought it was the "coolest thing ever."
Kirksey knew he wanted to go to a beach when the family was approached by Make-A-Wish. He is fascinated by fish and other marine animals.
"He got to thinking about it and he's like, 'I want to go to a beach in Australia,'" Sexton said. "I said, 'Oh yeah?' He said, 'I want to go to the Great Barrier Reef. Isn't that in Australia?' So it kind of went from there."
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system. It consists of more than 600 types of hard and soft coral over almost 133,000 square miles off the cost of Queensland in northeastern Australia.
Volunteers Jerry Jamrich, Judy Sierocuk and Susan Wulz led the project for Make-A-Wish Mid-South. The chapter fulfills the wishes of more than 240 children every year and more than 4,600 since it was founded in 1986.
The average cost of a wish is more than $8,000. Make-A-Wish relies on fundraisers, donations, corporate support and sponsors to perform its work.
Local on 06/27/2015