Grandmother brings 'Sunshine' to boy battling leukemia

The reality is unimaginable. Christie Parker's grandson, Bentley 'Benny' Parker, whom she is raising, received a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) 13 years to the day of her late granddaughter.

"His sister, in fact, half-sister, was diagnosed with cancer 13 years ago and it was a rare cancer, rhabdoid tumor," Parker explained. "That took her life after a year of treatments. She was two. That was pretty horrific."

Parker endearingly refers to herself as "Sunshine" instead of the traditional title of Grandma. A constant goal of hers is to bring sunshine to their lives.

"I kind of created that with my first grandson who was born with spina bifida," Parker said.

Dr. Amanda Saraf, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, is Benny's oncologist. Dr. Saraf said Parker goes above and beyond for her grandson.

"She does everything for him," Dr. Saraf said. "She's caring for him day to day. She's ensuring that he's taking his oral chemotherapy at home. She's taking him back and forth to appointments. She's been a huge asset and he's so lucky to have someone like her in his life."

Parker said she and Benny spent a month inpatient after Benny was diagnosed in December.

"He completed his first month of treatment and we repeated his bone marrow at the end of that month, and right now he is cancer free," Dr. Saraf said.

But Benny still has a long road ahead of him. His treatments will last for about three years.

"He does need to complete the remainder of intensive therapy, but he is doing well and responding just as we would hope," Dr. Saraf said.

Parker is committed to walking alongside her grandson, inside and outside of the hospital, but explains the constant care puts a major stress on her finances.

"It's hard to work while you're here, obviously you can't," Parker said. "I was off the whole month of December, and I'm self-employed, so my income is based on what I am able to do. I'm trying not to worry about those things and just stay focused on today and know that somehow you get through things."