Hunting for a Cure! Help Baby Darren and his family!

[Team HuntingLife.com]

I just wanted to share this story from a family that needs our prayer and support!

Meet The Leonard’s

Derrick Leonard and Lauren Conley were married March of 2009 after building their home together in the small town of Church Hill, MD. Derrick and Lauren were high school sweet hearts that never grew out of it, and after 8 years finally tied the knot. Lauren found out she was pregnant and life was good. They knew 2009 would be the most exciting year of their life but had no idea just how exciting it would turn out to be. They had everything they ever wanted, a great relationship, a brand new house, great careers, and a baby on the way.
On August 19th 2009 their son, Darren Alan Leonard was born. Darren was a perfectly normal and healthy baby who stole the hearts of every nurse, family member, and friend who set eyes on him. Darren wasn’t like most babies, he only cried when he was really hungry and was a laid back new born who loved cracking smiles at everyone. The Leonard’s were a truly blessed family living the American dream.
In mid October of 2009, Derrick, Lauren, and Baby Darren went on a trip to PA to visit with Darren’s Grandparents on a camping trip. During that trip, Lauren noticed a subtle laziness in Darren’s left eye and on the way home was already scheduling a appointment with his pediatrician. After getting home and meeting with Darren’s Dr. the Leonard’s were referred to an ophthalmologist at A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, DE.
On October 27th 2009, Derrick and Lauren packed up Baby Darren and headed for their trip to DuPont. When they arrived there they met with the eye doctor who immediately called the Emergency Room to send someone up to bring Darren down for a CT scan. After a long wait in the ER, Derrick and Lauren were advised by Drs. That Baby Darren had some type of mass on his brain and needed to be taken to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Derrick and Lauren felt as though they had been struck by a train. This was a total shock, going into a routine eye Dr. Appointment with only the clothes on their back and somehow ending up in the intensive care unit that night with their two and a half month old baby boy.

Following being admitted into the PICU, Darren was given lots of IV’s, blood draws, and other unpleasant things no baby should ever have to experience. The next day in the PICU the Oncologist at DuPont came in the room and told the Leonard’s the most devastating and shocking news they ever have heard or would hear. . Their baby has cancer... Not just cancer, but a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. The oncologist told them they would need to do a biopsy of the tumor to remove a very small amount and send it out for identification of what type of cancer it is and then treatment options would be discussed.
Darren had a brain tumor biopsy and the tissue was sent out. The Dr. advised that due to the size and location of the tumor, removal was not an option. After the results came back Darren was diagnosed with a low grade glioma brain tumor. The only treatment option for Baby Darren is chemo and the Dr. started him on a once a week chemo schedule for one year. The Dr. told the Leonard’s that there was only an 80% chance that the chemo would keep the tumor from growing larger, let alone shrink it.
Darren began his chemo treatments while Mommy and Daddy started to adjust to their new hospital life. Lauren didn’t leave Darren’s side for one minute while in the hospital and Derrick took up residency at the Ronald McDonald House across the street. After being admitted in the hospital for almost half of Darren’s life the Leonard’s finally got to come home to Church Hill. They only made it home for less than 24 hours before having to go back to DuPont because of medical complications.
The Leonard’s have made plenty of late night emergency trips to DuPont and Darren has had a central line placed in his chest to access for his treatments as well as blood draws. Darren also had a shunt placed in his head due to spinal fluid pressure on his brain. His shunt runs from his head to his stomach to drain and is visible under his skin.

The family has recently learned that not only has the chemo stopped the tumor from growing, but in the last MRI showed signs of the tumor shrinking. The family still has a long way to go before being out of the woods and Lauren had to leave her career as a compounding pharmacy technician to take care of Darren’s many round the clock medical needs. Derrick is back to work his 24 hour shifts at the county 911 center and makes lots of time to spend at home with the family. Without the love and support from friends, family, and even some strangers, the Leonard’s would be having a much harder time than they have already been presented with.

If you or anyone you know would like a camo hunting for a cure cancer support bracelet that were made in Darrens honor, simply send a donation to Darren of any size to Derrick Leonard PO Box 205 Church Hill, MD 21623. Checks can be made out to "fund raiser for darren leonard". Be sure to include a return address for the bracelet/bracelets to be sent to and include the number of bracelets you would like. These donations are to help offset the loss of Lauren’s income while caring for Darren.

[Bud Golombecki]

sorry to hear about this, how do i get a bracelet so that i can spread the story. also if there is anything i can do let me know i posted it on facebook i would have sooner but i just joined today.

[Team HuntingLife.com]

I am checking and will get back to you.

[BassGirl5672]

This is so sad. Very heartbreaking. Is there a way to send paypal funds? I have posted this on twitter also.