Beau's Fight Against Leukemia (2025)

18/03/2025

On March 17, 2023, our world was rocked by the shocking diagnosis that Beau had leukemia. Our lives were radically changed. We had no idea what that meant for the future of our precious family.

Today (March 17, 2025), marks two years since that happened. We have fought, prayed, and endured through so much, and we want to take this opportunity to thank and praise God that Beau is cancer-free!

How we’re doing:
Beau is still working with the doctors to get rid of the oral GVHD (graft versus host disease). His case is advanced. Last Friday, he received a second round of steroid shots in his mouth. To the doctor’s surprise, the first round didn’t result in any noticeable improvement (highly unusual); so, he doubled the concentration this time. We were encouraged to hear that oral GVHD is temporary (not lifelong); however, we need the shots to work. So, we’re hoping and praying the increased dosage, combined with the pills he’s taking, will finally eliminate this tormenting disease.
We’re also still working through the mental and emotional trauma that comes from a battle with life-threatening and chronic illness. While the improvement in Beau’s physical health helps with emotional and mental healing, it also takes time, prayer, working through the grief process, and lots of love from family and friends like you!

Thank you for your continued prayer, love, and support toward us. You have persevered with us through these past two years and for that we are forever grateful.

31/01/2025

Update from Anna:

Dearest family and friends,

Beau has been experiencing chronic oral GVHD for 4 months now. Every time he eats, his mouth instantly reacts with painful blisters throughout his mouth and throat. This has been especially difficult because not only has he lost more weight, but the pleasure of eating has been taken away, among other things. His doctor isn't sure how long this will last, so please be praying that we are able to find a solution that will eradicate the oral GVHD and not cause other detrimental side effects.

Whenever we attempt to answer the question, "How are you,” we struggle to find the words. We want to be honest, but we also can’t express it fully. While we have plenty to be thankful for, Beau and I are also processing through a variety of difficult emotions as we suffer on a daily basis: anger, depression, anxiety, fear, and disappointment to name a few. Cancer and chronic illness has traumatized us and tested our faith overwhelmingly, and we don’t see an end in sight. It doesn’t help that we are unable to attend church right now because the cold/flu season poses too much of a risk to Beau while his immune system is under suppression.

Please keep us in your prayers. We deeply appreciate all the love and support you have given us over these past couple of years. Your fellowship is a source of strength for us. And God is faithful. We know that and hold to that, even though we may not always feel it. Let’s keep pressing on together!

04/12/2024

Dear friends and family!

The results to Beau's biopsy have been updated: STILL NO CANCER!!! Praising the Lord for the gracious report! What a gift!

On the other hand, please pray for Beau as he continues to get over a bad cold. We are not sure of it is COVID or not but it has been brutal on his body as it has caused some GVHD to flare up.

Please pray that Beau can get through this quickly, without any more issues.

We cannot thank you enough for your dear sweet prayers! Thank you Lord!

26/11/2024

Dear friends and family,

Beau's bone marrow biopsy went as smoothly as possible and his blood panel projected healthy numbers. Praise the Lord!

The results take about 2 weeks to process and that will tell us if there is any cancer detected or not. We petition God for the results to say ZERO!

Please pray that the Lord will not only grant us His peace but "guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus," (Phil 4:7) while we wait.

The Lord continues to graciously carry us as He so faithfully does for us all. We cannot thank you enough for praying on our behalf. We love you all!

24/11/2024

Dear friends and family,

Thursday, November 21, marked exactly one year since Beau's bone marrow transplant.

As incredibly difficult as these past couple of years have been mentally, physically and emotionally, we are so grateful that we have closely witnessed the Lord's loving kindness towards us through this journey.

One of the primary ways he has done this is through all of you. We cannot thank you enough for all your kind support and dear prayers as we anticipate Beau's bone marrow biopsy, Monday, November 25th at 3p.

04/11/2024

Dear friends and family,

In just a few weeks, it will mark one year since Beau's bone marrow transplant last November 21st. This is a big milestone for us as the doctors have said that in the cases where the leukemia returned, the majority of them happened within the first year.

As we anticipate Beau's bone marrow biopsy on the 25th of this November at 3pm, we, and specifically Beau, are met with mixed emotions because the procedure itself is very painful, unpleasant and it brings up a lot of fear and trauma of having cancer. It takes at least 2 weeks to get the results back from a biopsy test, so waiting in that time to hear if it's relapsed or not is excruciatingly stressful. We are hoping, praying and pleading with the Lord to get the news that Beau is still free of cancer.

Even though we have made it a long way with Beau's recovery, and have been able to get back a lot of the normalcy we enjoyed before cancer, there is still a lot of trauma and grief to work through. Not to mention, he's dealing with the effects of the transplant, the side effects of the meds he's taking, and GVHD.

It's not easy but one thing is for sure: The Lord has been so good to us.

In the meantime, Beau continues to slowly and systematically wean off of his immunosuppresants (at this point, he wishes he could toss his entire pharmacy of pills in the trash).

Please pray for Beau, that the Lord would continue to heal his body, for his biopsy to show no cancer, and for our hearts as we continue to grieve the last 2 years.

We really appreciate all your support and prayers. We love you all!

31/07/2024

Dear friends and family,

Since Beau's GVHD flare up a few weeks ago, we have seen much improvement! Praise the Lord! As he weans off of his steroids over the next several weeks, please be praying that Beau won't get sick or suffer another GVHD flare up - and that his new immune system adapts to his body.

The Lord has certainly been gracious to us, from the beginning until now, as we strive toward health and wholeness.

I'm deeply grateful that Beau is back to work full time, that he has an aggressive immune system, and ultimately our sanctification as our faith continues to be tested and refined (1 Peter 1:6-7), as difficult as it may be.

We love you all so much. Thank you for partnering in this suffering with us, and what a miracle the Lord has given us! Your prayers are being answered powerfully and favorably!

12/07/2024

Dear friends and family,

Recently, Beau caught a cold which triggered a GHVD (graft vs. host disease) event, causing him a lot of discomfort and pain.

Beau's GVHD is affecting multiple organs including his liver, esophagus, skin, and feet.

Even though his cold is getting better, the GVHD symptoms are frequently unbearable. Painkillers have little to no effect.

What takes you or I a few days to fight a sickness, it takes Beau weeks since his immune system is only 9 months old! He quite literally has the immune system of a newborn. It will take many years for his body to rebuild itself to where he was before the bone marrow transplant back in November 2023.

Please pray for Beau as he continues to fight these symptoms. It can be quite defeating, especially since he was so close to being weened of all of his medications, and now he has to take many pills a day to mitigate the GVHD and manage the pain.

We are very thankful to God for a healthy, aggressive immune system and will continue to trust the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit that he helps and comforts Beau (John 14:16-18) in his suffering.

Thank you for all your dear prayers. We love you all!

22/05/2024

Dear friends and family,

Beau continues to physically and emotionally heal by the grace of God. He was been back to working full time since May 1st. Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow, May 22nd, he gets his chest port (CVC) taken out. Please pray the procedure goes smoothly.

Today, May 21st is his birthday! As a birthday gift, let's send words of encouragement to Beau! If you know him and/or have been following along our journey this year, if you're willing, please share how you were impacted by his story, send a prayer to him or simply say "Happy Birthday, Beau! It will immensely bless him!

You can write a post to his Facebook wall or send an email to beau@thechampioncompanies.com.

I'll be sure to show him tonight! It will mean so much to him!

Thank you to all who have suffered, journeyed and continue to pray with us. We love you all!

27/04/2024

Dear friends and family,

A couple of weeks ago, Beau developed shingles on his face as well as an eye infection that affected both eyes. By the grace of God, the shingles did not infect his eye and did not spread anywhere else. With the help of his new immune system, his eye infection healed and his shingles are on the mend!

Beau is also starting to wean off of immunosuppressants and eventually his pills altogether.

Beau is both nervous and excited to go back to work on Wednesday May 1st. Just like this year, he knows the Lord will continue to graciously carry him one day at a time.

Thank you so much for all your continued prayers!

25/03/2024

Dear Family and Friends,

We finally received Beau’s post-transplant test results and they all confirmed the same thing: NO CANCER DETECTED! Praise the Lord! God is so gracious and merciful to take his cancer away. We are incredibly relieved! Thank you for all the prayers, love, and support every single one of you has sent our way throughout our embattled journey – we couldn’t have done this without you!

According to Beau’s doctors, the worst is behind us. We have an appointment this Friday, 03/29 at The James Cancer Hospital to discuss what the next six months will look like as Beau continues his recovery from the transplant. Please pray for divine guidance and wisdom for us as we have some decisions to make regarding his preventative maintenance treatments and when to return to work.

Thank you again for all of you who have endured through this most difficult year with us and covered us with prayer, love, and support.

07/03/2024

Dear friends and family,

We are still waiting on Beau's bone marrow biopsy results. It could take another week for them to be posted. They ran multiple kinds of tests, scans, and bloodwork, including a test that will tell us if there is any residual disease (leukemia) remaining in his body or not.

Thank you for all your continued support and prayers as we wait!

Beau's Fight Against Leukemia