Bentley is only 3 years old, but cancer has already taken up most of his childhood.
Bentley is only 3 years old, but cancer has already taken up most of his childhood.
Diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma at just 7 months old, he fought through chemotherapy and reached remission. His family truly believed the nightmare was over. Then the cancer came back.
Now Bentley is fighting relapsed, high-risk stage 4 neuroblastoma and preparing for a possible bone marrow transplant. His mother, Amanda, admits the question she fears most is whether her little boy will get the chance to grow up.
Bentley has already spent most of his short life fighting a disease his mom once believed they had beaten. Now she is watching her little boy endure chemotherapy, hospital stays, procedures and pain all over again.
And because Bentley is autistic, Amanda says there is another heartbreaking layer to his fight.
He doesn’t understand why this keeps happening to him.
Amanda reached out to me asking for something we’ve given so many families on this page.
Prayers.
But she’s also hoping Bentley’s story somehow reaches someone with resources, a connection or knowledge that could help her little boy.
Bentley was only 7 months old when he was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma.
Think about that.
He underwent chemotherapy and eventually his family received the news they had desperately prayed for.
Remission.
Amanda allowed herself to believe they had beaten it.
Then Bentley turned 3.
The cancer came back.
This time, his mom says they are facing relapsed, high-risk stage 4 neuroblastoma.
“I truly believed we had beaten it.”
Now they’re back to chemotherapy.
And Amanda says they’re preparing for a bone marrow transplant while praying the treatments are enough to get Bentley there.
But there’s something the hospital photos don’t show.
His mom’s fear.
“The fear never leaves,” she told me.
Every scan feels like a verdict.
Every fever can become an emergency.
And when Amanda looks at her 3-year-old, she admits her mind goes places no mother’s ever should.
“I wonder if he’ll get to grow up.”
And through all of this, Amanda has learned how to smile for her son while, in her words, “falling apart inside.”
That’s why she reached out.
She wants people praying for Bentley.
She wants his story shared in hopes it reaches someone who knows something, has a resource or connection, or can somehow help this family through what comes next.
And she wants other parents to hear something cancer taught her the hardest possible way.
Trust your instincts.
If something doesn’t feel right with your child, keep asking questions. Keep advocating. Seek another opinion when necessary.
Then she shared something I think every parent needs to hear.
So please don’t let Amanda feel like she’s carrying that fear alone.
Pray that Bentley’s treatment works.
Pray for his upcoming transplant journey.
Pray that his pain is eased and that this sweet little boy gets more of the childhood cancer has already taken from him.
Amanda asked us to keep believing that Bentley’s story isn’t over yet.
