Jackson
In August 2005, Jackson Halebian, a smart, watchful ten-year-old, had just returned from a summer sleep-away camp in upstate New York. In welcoming her son home, Jackson's mom, Lisa, went to tousle Jackson's hair, only to discover a small, grape-sized bump on top of his head. Thinking it no more than an after-effect of the usual rough-housing that takes place at camp, the Halebians went forward with their end-of-summer vacation. On the trip, Jackson developed a persistent fever and complained of nausea and a general feeling of fatigue. His mother felt that these symptoms, combined with the bump on his head, were enough to warrant a visit by her son to a nearby medical clinic. There, Jackson was diagnosed with an ordinary virus. It would take another week of continuing symptoms and a variety of doctors before he received the correct diagnosis: Jackson didn't have a virus, he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Dr. Steinherz
When Dr. Steinherz first examined him, Jackson had a fever and a very low white blood cell count. Based on his age and initial blood counts at the time of diagnosis, Jackson would normally be considered a "standard risk" patient, one who would require the standard treatment regimen. However, he was only one month short of his 10th birthday, at which time he would have become a "high risk of relapse" patient, which requires a more intensive treatment.
