#FightLikeFin

In 2022, just a few days short before Christmas, Finley, a little boy living with his family in Neenah, Wisconsin, had no idea their life was about to change. What started as a complaint about foot pain quickly spiraled into something far more terrifying. After a few tests, blood work revealed the unthinkable: It was Leukemia.

Within hours, Finley was rushed to surgery to have a port placed for chemotherapy. What followed was a brutal, heart-wrenching two years. Finley’s life became a blur of hospital visits, endless chemotherapy, and side effects no child should ever have to endure; nausea, fatigue, hair loss, and emotional breakdowns. His world shrank as he missed out on school, playdates, and every other part of childhood that makes it magical. But what made it even harder to bear was watching his twin sister, Emerson, try to keep up their bond while Finley was too sick to play. She was there for him through it all! Encouraging him to fight, to get out of bed, and to play, even when he didn’t have the energy.

The first six months were the hardest, filled with endless trips to the hospital. Then came the “grind”, daily chemotherapy, the physical toll of constant nausea, mood swings, and isolation. As parents, watching Finley struggle physically was devastating, but seeing him battle mentally was even worse. It was a whole different level of heart-shattering, core-rattling pain nobody could ever comprehend. If they had a choice, they would have gladly taken on all the pain themselves to spare their child from it.

Through every gut-wrenching moment, every hour of terror, and every breakdown that seemed to tear them apart, Finley’s family held onto one another with everything they had. The emotional toll was beyond anything they could have prepared for; the exhaustion that seeped into their very souls, and fear that never let up. But through the darkest hours, they fought with everything in them, not just for Finley’s survival, but for each other, because they knew their love was the only thing that could carry them through.

After completing his final chemotherapy dose last month, Finley’s fight is far from over. The road ahead is long, with years of monitoring and uncertainty still to come. But his family remains hopeful, clinging to the strength they've gained through this journey.

As for us, we are on a mission in the next 30 days to raise $5,000 to send Finley and his family to Disney World and Give Kids The World. It’s their opportunity to create new, joyful memories and replace the difficult ones with moments of laughter and adventure.

Let’s make this happen for Finley!