Braxton "Brax" Battaglia

Hope this update finds everyone doing well! It is hard to believe it is already November! Where did summer and fall go? Overall, we had a good summer & fall! Brax stayed healthy and was able to stay outpatient for treatments, so we are very thankful for that. Her treatment is set to end on November 15^th, and we are starting to finally see the finish line after 2 years of relapse therapy. Brax decided she wanted to start High School with everyone else even though she will have a lot of absences during the first trimester. She has needed to move to online one week a month for labs, infusions, treatments, not feeling well, medication side effects, etc. We are happy to report that Freshman year at Spring Lake Park High School is off to a great start.

One of the highlights this summer for both girls was getting to attend Olympic Trials in person at Target Center. It was four fun filled days of gymnastics and we are very thankful that it was hosted in Minnesota so our family could attend. The girls were so excited to get photos & autographs with the entire 2024 Men’s Paris Olympic Team and watch all the amazing gymnasts.

We had a great 4^th of July with the Battaglia side of the family. Joe & Alaina hosted the family for grilling, cousin time, sparklers, fireworks, etc. Other fun things over the weekend of the 4^th include pool party at the Browns, Despicable Me 4, Great Wolf Lodge staycation, and lots of cousins time (we missed baby Emmitt).

Summer Sounds was one of the best weekends of the summer for our family. We had nice weather, two nights of awesome music, spending time with family & friends, and of course raising money for TB1Fund and Brown Boys Benefit. Brax’s team moved up her treatment in July so she could feel good for the concert and for family from Arizona that would be in town visiting.

July did not slow down at all after Summer Sounds since we had Taste Fore the Tour, Give 16 Dinner, and 3m Open all the following week.

A few other highlights from the summer of 2024 include Brax completing the classroom portion of Drivers Education. She will turn 15 at the end of November and will be able to take her permit test and start behind the wheel. Attending a cupcake decorating class with Paige from Kids Baking Championship. TB1F always appreciates the time Paige and her family put into the cupcake decorating experience from the Champions Cup auction, dinner at the Melting Mot, attending the Row the Boat BBQ with the Trettin Family, seeing the movie Twisters on the big screen … twice, golfing and time with her grandparents up north, weekend in Duluth with grandparents and cousins, horseback riding with her aunt & uncle, and the Gopher football home opener.

We were sad to see summer end but were thankful to have a good summer with family and friends that overall felt much more normal. With the start of fall comes football and that is Brax’s favorite time of the year. She has been healthy enough to attend Gophers, Vikings, and Spring Lake Park football games. Homecoming was one of her highlights this fall. It was a “Neon” theme, and she went with a large group of friends. Other highlights from the fall include Attending the Cub Gala and being part of the kid’s panel, Vikings vs 49ers game, Gophers vs USC win, UMD vs Gopher Hockey in Duluth over MEA, and TB1F’s Go Gold party for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month at the hospital.

TB1F celebrated our 5-year anniversary with a blowout lobby party at Masonic that included: our friend Noah Hicks flying in from Nashville to sing in the Zucker Studio, sign autographs, and take pictures with patients and families. Henry Lake helped us host Sebastian Joes “Henry by the Lake” ice cream and T-Rex Cookies, Red Savoy served up pizza and mac-n-cheese, and former Gopher gymnast Katie Horak gave away her hand crochet stuffed animals that patients adored. We were also able to give away tons of awesome prizes, TB1F swag, and gold snack bags. It was a super fun event that brightened days for patients & families.

Halloween was celebrated twice for us this year. The Stusynski Family generously decided to throw a fun Boo Bash for TB1F on the Sunday before Halloween. They had elite decorations, the Red Savoy food truck serving pizza, other food & beverages, a great turnout, games, so much candy, beautiful weather, and lots of generous guests. Thanks so much for hosting this Sunday Funday! On actual Halloween the girls took their little cousins trick or treating and passed out candy to the neighborhood ghouls & goblins.

In November Brax is looking forward to getting her permit, Thanksgiving, her birthday, visit from Arizona family, and most importantly getting her port out and ending her 2 years of relapse therapy treatment.

Give to Max is back this November. We have a $10K Match in effect and if anyone is looking for charitable opportunities this fall/winter, please check out TB1 Fund and see what Brax has happening. A lot of good has come out of this cancer journey.

www.TB1Fund.org

Wishing everyone a great end of 2024!

SPRING 2024

This update is long overdue, but I guess that means things have been going pretty well for Brax and have not been all treatment focused. We feel like she is finally settling into a more normal pattern for her maintenance therapy. It was a bit of a rocky start this winter, but things have been going more smoothly lately.

March

Brax was able to attend Northern Lights and the Minnesota State meet to cheer on Brylee and the other Twister gymnasts. We were also able to attend the Big10 Women’s Basketball Championships and watch Caitlin Clark in person. Brax would like us to be very clear that she was NOT cheering for Iowa, but was cheering for Clark and what she has done for women’s sports. Brax & Bry had the opportunity to participate in a fun photo shoot for the new women’s line of UNRL clothing. They had a blast at Profeshie and absolutely love the new line. Brax had treatment right before Easter weekend so she wasn’t feeling very good but was thankful to be outpatient and spend time with the family.

April

April is a busy month around our house in preparation of Champion’s Cup at the end of the month. It was our 4^th annual event this year and Brax’s care team was able to move some things around so she could attend the event in person. It is always a ton of work, but a ton of fun at the same time. Thanks so much to our guests, volunteers, sponsors, and partners for another great event to raise funds for TB1F.

May

We were finally able to sneak away to Florida as a family for a long weekend in May. This was Brax’s first trip since she relapsed in November 2022. We had several other trips scheduled, but for various reasons we needed to cancel. We were nervous and excited at the same time. With Brax still being in active therapy we would need to go to a different hospital other than Masonic if she was to get sick/fever/low counts etc. Thankfully all went well and she felt good and we all had a great time in the beautiful Florida sunshine. A few faves from this trip include: LOTS of pool time, eating at our favorite restaurants, cheering for the Wolves on TV for Game 7, golf cart rides, seeing a monster gator sunning itself on the golf course, and having a change of scenery from our house in Blaine.

Other fun things in May included: Mother’s Day brunch, going to Game #1 of the Wolves v. Mavericks playoff series, attending the TCT Optional Banquet, TB1F Sibling Day at Top Golf, and Max’s 4^th Birthday Party.

June

Last day of 8^th Grade for Brax and 6^th Grade for Bry! TB1F hosted Putt 4 Patients and it was the best one to date. Great weather, turnout, prizes, athlete & radio appearances, and fun! The same weekend as P4P the girls were finally able to meet their new baby cousin Emmett who lives in Arizona. We were able to have all 18 of us from the Battaglia family together for the first time. Other fun things so far in June include: Twins game and FloRida concert, Bunker Beach, hanging out with friends, PT, hoops & pickleball on the sport court, and babysitting. We are so excited for Olympic Trials for gymnastics at the end of the month.

We have our last big event of the year coming up in a few weeks. Summer Sounds – Music with a Mission is back for it’s 3rd year and continues to keep growing. This year it will be a 2-day event on July 19 & 20 (Fri & Sat). We have 5 Nashville Artists coming to town, including Adam Doleac (Friday headliner) & Michael Ray (Saturday headliner). We are looking to FILL THE FIELD that weekend and if you are looking for something to do, please come out. Free Parking, Food Trucks and All-Inclusive Drinks (both Adult & N/A depending on ticket purchased) GA Tickets still avail and limited VIP remain for Friday, Saturday VIP less than 5 remain. More info online at www.summersoundsmn.com Sponsorship opportunities available as well for any business owners that want to get involved.

Last, but not least we are also partnering with Taste Fore The Tour – Tee off against hunger this July, binging together top culinary talent and celebrities to raise awareness and donations to address the needs of the hungry and food-insecure families at M Health Masonic Children’s hospital.

Day Brighteners is what Brax has focused her mission on since day 1 and there is arguably nothing more important than being able to provide parents and families of in-patient children some stability around a healthy meal or snack when life is coming at you 100 miles per hour.  Many people may not realize that while in the hospital, only the patient is granted free meals.  The caretaker is left to cover their own meals at their own expense, which can be both challenging and a financial burden on an already overwhelming experience.   This partnership with Taste Fore The Tour will allow us to build out programming to make sure we can support in-patient caregivers and also continue to provide all-inclusive hospitality events both inside and outside the hospital.  #DayBrightened There are still a few opportunities to get involved if interested. www.tasteforethetour.com/

Hoping everyone has a FUN & SAFE summer! And as always, we have met and made many good friend through this experience and ask for continued prayers for Casey as he continues to recover.

Putt 4 Patients – Saturday, June 8 (Next weekend!)

Kick off summer with TB1Fund at the Putt 4 Patients event in the SCHEELS parking lot! ☀️⛳
Join us for an afternoon full of mini-golf, KFAN & K102 Radio appearances, bounce houses, food trucks, tons of prizes, and MORE!

The first 200 guests will receive a P4P x UNRL hat or T-shirt. The event will be the start to TB1F’s annual toy drive! ❤️

⛳ Mini-Golf Course
🎪 Bounce Houses and Challenger courses
🎙 KFAN & K102 radio personality appearances
🌭 Chick-Fil-A, Jonny Pops and More!
🐻 Mascot Photo Opportunities
🎶 GenNow DJ
🎨 Face painting and caricatures
🏈 Pro Athlete Appearances
🎁 TONS of prize drawings
🚘 NEW cars on display: Presented by BMW of Minnetonka
🎟️ Tickets can be purchased through the link OR on-site the day of the event

Any toys donated at the event will earn you 5 prize drawing tickets!
BONUS tickets rewarded for toys bought from SCHEELS. 😍🧸

Visit www.TB1Fund.org for more details, FAQs and to purchase tickets!

Summer Sounds – Music with a Mission – Fri/Sat, July 19 & 20

Summer Sounds tickets are moving fast and with 5 Nashville Acts over 2 Nights, this is a weekend you don’t want to miss. This event is like no other concert in terms of value and intimacy. We hope you can join us and experience a show like no other. We have chosen to keep beverages FREE for everyone based on ticketing tiers. VIPs enjoy exclusive access to the BMW VIP Tent with FREE food from 6-8PM each night, in addition to all-inclusive beverages from any of the 3 bars and VIP tent.

Buy yours at the current price or before they sell out!

Important Ticket Updates
Limited VIP Tickets and VIP Tables remain.

Current ticket prices valid through Friday, June 14 at 11:59pm CST. Prices increase June 15.

BUY TICKETS NOW before price increase.

FRIDAY, JULY 19th
Gates open at 5PM
Headliner: Adam Doleac
Direct Support: Chase Wright

SATURDAY, JULY 20th
Gates open at 4PM
Headliner: Michael Ray
Direct Support: Noah Hicks
Special Guest: Abbie Nylin

General Admission tickets starting at $15-$50 per night or $25-$85 for the weekend. All-inclusive soda and water included in ticket price.

GA with Full Beverage Package tickets are just $100 per night or $165 for the weekend! Enjoy unlimited beverages from any of the 3 bars. Alcohol is not avail to purchase, MUST have the package – keeps lines short and drinks in hand.

Summer Sounds proudly serves Tito’s, Dobel Tequila, and Pendleton Whisky & STILLY.

Limited VIP Tickets and VIP Reserved Tables remain.

CLICK HERE to buy tickets now!

For more information, updates , sponsorship opportunities and FAQs visit: www.summersoundsmn.com

Presenting Sponsor

2023 went pretty quickly overall considering Brax was going through intense chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Our neighbor once told me when the girls were very young that “the days are long but the years are fast” and we have found this to be true in cancer treatment as well. Some days, just getting through the day, can seem to wear on you like a week worth of work/stress, but before you know it a month has somehow passed. When initially diagnosed with leukemia and told it will be 2.5 years of treatment and then 2 years of treatment when Brax relapsed it feels that you can’t even imagine that much time and how you will get through every long day, but it somehow has a way of going fast as well. Brax has a little over 9 months left of treatment and we are sure to experience many long hard days, but before we know it 11-15-24 will be here and we will absolutely experience so many great days along the way as well.

December had some challenges for Brax – an unexpected hospital stay right before Christmas, a lingering cold that didn’t want to go away, having to hold oral chemo due to low ANC & platelets, and even a case of pink eye. As always, Brax found a way to make the best of tough situations – the power of positivity, mental toughness, faith, and surrounding yourself with the right people is truly a game changer.

We had a fun evening with our neighbors attending one of our favorite Christmas movies – Christmas Vacation – which had a few select dates in theaters this year to kickoff the holiday season.

Brax was finally able to do the annual TB1F Electronic Giveaway at Masonic in person. She had so much fun gifting the patients at the hospital with awesome electronics to try to help ease the burden of being inpatient for the holidays. Our friends at UNRL partnered with Brax & TB1F to give patients the opportunity to receive one of their Limited Edition Minnesota Vikings hoodies that were sold out in stores. DJ Mad Mardigan from GenNOW provided the music for the lobby party and Chick Fil A & Cub provided food and drinks for this fun event that featured Goldy and the Cow from Chick Fil A.

Brax was able to attend both sides of the family Christmas parties this year. It was so good to head up north for a few family filled days of fun and holiday cheer on the warmest MN Christmas ever. We were very thankful to be outpatient and in the position to travel and see family.

Brax & Bry are both so excited for the Olympic Trials to be coming to MN this summer. Brax was able to attend an event at MOA hosted by Minnesota Sports & Events that showcased gymnastics at all levels. She was able to meet Suni Lee and be around others that love the sport as much as she does.

In January Brax was starting to feel better and was able to do more. Her sister Brylee’s Level 8 gymnastics season was officially underway. Brax was really looking forward to attending her travel meet in Knoxville, Tennessee this year, but her lingering case of pink eye delayed some of her treatments and she needed to stay back in MN. Bry had a great time with her teammates, but really missed her sister. They may or may not admit it, but Brax & Bry are best friends and are always 100% there for one another through everything. When one hurts, they both hurt and when good happens they celebrate together. This whole cancer thing really takes a toll on not just the patient, but the rest of the family as well. Brylee is the reason why Sibling Days and family days are so important to Brax and TB1F. Siblings sacrifice so much! You do your best to try to keep life as normal as possible, but the truth is there is nothing normal about this way of life. You can physically see cancer affecting the patient, but the side effects that siblings experience are often silent from the outside world. As parents you must continue to believe in the greater plan and know that calmer waters are ahead for everyone in your family.

At the end of January, Brylee turned 12 and we were able to celebrate in person. Last year Brax ended up inpatient for every single birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, New Years, and Thanksgiving, so this year we will not take anything for granted and celebrate them all (hopefully outpatient).

Gopher Women’s Gymnastics asked Brax to be an Honorary member of the team for their Always Dreaming Cancer Awareness meet. This meet is special since it brings awareness to cancer and how it has affected everyone in some way, shape, or form. The team did their warm-ups in the Team Brax TB1F leo. It was an amazing honor to see the team, at the school she loves, wearing her leo. They also did a toy drive to collect toys for Brax’s Toy Closet on the 5^th floor of Masonic Children’s hospital where Brax has spent 200 nights.

Dr. Sadak, our primary oncologist the first time through treatment, organized a halftime scrimmage at the Gopher Men’s Basketball game vs Wisconsin. Staff of the Journey Clinic and former patients played in the Coaches vs Cancer Hardwood Heroes Game. Its intent was to bring awareness to the importance of cancer research and was a fantastic group of people to share the court with.

A few other things Brax has been up to included: attending her first high school gymnastics meet, going to the St. Thomas vs UMD exhibition hockey game that featured 2 of her favorite hockey players, attending her cousin Brooklyn’s basketball tournament in Forest Lake, going to the Mean Girls movie reboot, PT, working out at home, attending Brylee’s meets, and getting outside to enjoy the spring like temps.

We have lots to look forward to in 2024! We are especially looking forward to the end of treatment in November, but trying not to wish the time away as well since we know it will somehow go quickly even through the long hard days. We Got This!!!!

Also, a few dates to save if you are able to make any of the events coming up this year.

Champions Cup – TB1F’s adult only, largest single day fundraiser of the year. Friday, April 26

Putt 4 Patients and Annual Toy Drive at Scheels – Saturday, June 8. Mini golf, face painting, caricatures, fair food, bounce houses, and DJ. Family Fun!

Summer Sounds // Music With A Mission – Fri, July 19 & Sat, July 20 – we added a 2nd night this year and are bringing in (4) acts from Nashville…details coming soon!

Info on any/all events can be found at www.TB1Fund.org

Before we get into the update, we’d ask you to take 2 minutes and nominate TB1F (or any MN nonprofit of your choice) for the Scheels $50K giveaway ending this Thursday 12/14. 10 nonprofits will each receive $5,000/each. Visit this link to nominate -> Scheels Giving Campaign Thanks Scheels!

Hard to believe it is already December! Brax had a really good fall overall. She started and completed her last round of immunotherapy and has now moved into the second and final year of treatment. She is set to complete her relapse treatment on November 15, 2024….less than a year to go!

Brax has been busy with school at home and going to different sporting events. She went to several Gopher football games, UMD vs UofM hockey, and a Timberwolves game. She is looking forward to gymnastics meets starting up again soon as well. Brax has been able to visit her friends and coaches at TCT and it has been really nice to get back in the gym. She is excited to watch the Twisters & Gophers this winter since she was inpatient for a majority of their seasons last winter – 99 days inpatient for relapse treatment so far to be exact. Brax was very excited to have the honor of hosting Floyd of Rosedale (the rivalry trophy between MN & Iowa for football) for a day. She went to the hospital, UNRL, BMW of Minnetonka, Westwood Intermediate & Middle School, and ended with a happy hour at the Butcher and the Boar. 

Brax has also had several TB1F events/programming this fall. TB1F launched a new program with the Rebound Club to give patients and families a VIP experience at MN Timberwolves games. Another new program that has been a huge hit at the hospital has been Music Mondays. Our friends at GenNOW have been able to come into the Zucker Broadcast Studio to showcase and share their DJ talents. It all ends with an awesome song request mash up dance party. We had another TB1F Sibling Day and hosted the movie Trolls 3. Braxton’s Buddies is here for a second year of giving patients & families a VIP experience for MN Vikings games. We have extended our Gopher offering to not only football, but also gymnastics, hockey, and basketball this year. Brax is so excited for the new TB1F Rehab space to open at Masonic in 2024. This space and legacy project is so important to Brax and she can’t wait to see this finished product and for patients to get to use this space to get stronger and feel better both physically & mentally. Finally, we want to thank everyone who donated to “Give to the Brax” this November and an extra special thank you to Carousel Motor Group for matching donations. TB1F was able to raise over $28,000 to support Brax’s programming for patients & families at M Health Masonic Children’s Hospital.

Brax was able to celebrate several birthdays for family & friends this fall in person compared to last fall while inpatient. We also welcomed a new baby Battaglia cousin Emmett. We can’t wait to plan a trip to Arizona to hopefully meet him soon. Brax celebrated her 14^th birthday at the end of November. Her birthday usually always falls over the Thanksgiving break so she ends up with a 4 day celebration most years. Last year she was inpatient for her birthday so she was very thankful to be able to celebrate with friends, family, food and football this year. It is crazy to think she started her battle with cancer just shortly after turning 9 and will continue fighting until 10 days before turning 15. She has missed out on so much but has also developed a unique perspective on life that is wise beyond her years. We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! We have lots of exciting things coming in 2024!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

One last reminder too….please consider nominating TB1F for Scheels Giving Campaign and chance to take home $5000. Visit this link to nominate -> Scheels Giving Campaign Thanks Scheels!

It’s almost time!!

Give to the Max 2023 is Thursday, Nov 16th! This is the single biggest donation day of the year for our foundation and this year Carousel Motor Group has stepped up again with a huge $20K matching donation. Please consider making a gift of any amount – $5, $20, $100. Every dollar donated with be matched dollar for dollar up to $20K!!

As an added bonus, all donations of $5 and above will receive (1) entry for every $5 into a drawing for 1 of 2 Brax Packs (swag bundle picked out by Brax for you, which also include either a signed PJ Fleck Book or signed Jason Zucker Give16 x TB1F Hat!)

In addition, all donations of $25 automatically get a TB1F Good Vibes Coozey and all donations of $50 or more automatically get a TB1F Good Vibes T-shirt (if desired).

Help us help others this November and DOUBLE your impact.

It takes less than 3 Mins and EVERY $5 counts!

Visit www.TB1Fund.org or Text TB1Fund to 56651

***WINNERS DRAWN MONDAY 11/20, BUT MATCH RUNS ALL MONTH LONG***

Dude Perfect, 4th of July, Twins Game, CMG Toy Drop, PT, Team One Four, Summer Sounds, Barbie, 3MOpen, Golf, Helmet Reveal & RTB BBQ, Spirit of the Flame, Gophers Football, 8th Grade, Will Francis, September Go Gold.

How can it already be back to school??? July went by lightening fast, but Brax had a really great month and it almost felt “normal”. We started out with a bang and went to Dude Perfect in St. Paul. We were joined by a great group of friends and family and all the kids had a blast.

Our 4th of July was pretty low key and was spent grilling and hanging out with family.

Our family attended the MN Twins game with our good friends the Flecks & Wudels. It was so great to get the gang together and enjoy a beautiful summer night at the ballpark.

Brax officially ended the second round of the immunotherapy on July 11th. This was also the same day that the toys from CMG x TB1F toy drive were delivered to the hospital. It was a huge success with hundreds of toys being delivered. Brax was so thankful to have her treatment break fall during summer vacation. She was excited to spend time with friends, family, and enjoy swimming.

Brax was happy to attend a party in honor of her good friend Casey O’Brien and his Team One Four Fund. He has raised over one million dollars to enhance & upgrade the infusion center in the Journey Clinic. This is where Brax goes for all of her outpatient care – chemo, transfusions, labs, exams, etc. Congrats Casey!

Brax & Bry have been doing lots of PT & OT this summer!

Summer Sounds was July 15th and Brax was so excited that the concert fell during her treatment break! Brax was able to use her connections at Gopher football to give Michael Ray and friends a tour of the football practice facility and Huntington Bank Stadium. The girls thought it was pretty cool to cruise around the cities with MR. Finally, it was time for the big concert – the weather was perfect, no mosquitoes, amazing music, top notch food & bev, and everyone had a blast! TB1Fund and Brown Boys raised over $339,000! Huge thank you to our sponsors, partners, and guests!

We ended July with a week at TPC in Blaine for the 3M Open. Brax has been a part of the tournament since it started in 2019 and it is always a very fun week!

Continuation #2 started as anticipated with a tough week of steroids but the next few weeks of treatment went well. Gopher football asked if Brax and her 2 time cancer survivor & heart transplant warrior friend Megan to unveil one of the new helmets for the upcoming football season. The last time Brax was in the auditorium in front of the entire football team was December 2019 when she gave a pre Outback Bowl speech about her cancer journey. She had just turned 10 when she gave that speech and it’s amazing how her relationship has grown over the years and it’s crazy to think she will be 14 next month. After the unveiling we attended the annual Row The Boat BBQ – It is always so much fun to go to see the coaches and players interacting with all sorts of kids & families that are dealing with or have dealt with medical issues.

Brax received the unexpected news from USA Gymnastics that she was the 2023 recipient of the Robert Miller Spirit of the Flame Award. Our family was very hopeful that we would be able to make the trip to San Jose, California and attend US Championships and the Hall of Fame dinner where Brax was set to receive the award. Unfortunately, her cancer treatment had other plans and her platelets were too low for her to make the trip. We were thankful that she was able to stay fever free and out of the hospital and we enjoyed cheering on TCT from home and seeing pictures from Sarah & Steve accepting it in her honor.

Brax is in 8th grade and will be doing online homebound schooling this year and Brylee is in 6th grade. Brax was only in school for a week before a fever landed her in the hospital. The same thing happened during the end of Continuation #1 so we were not really surprised even though we were hoping to stay outpatient longer. During this stay Brax was able to get to know a new cancer buddy Will. He has the same cancer as Brax and unfortunately relapsed as well. With them both being inpatient at the same time they were able to get to know each other better and discover so many similarities in life and in their cancer journeys. Brax was thrilled to be outpatient and see Will represent Masonic and throw out the first pitch when the MN Twins celebrated Cancer Awareness Month at the end of September. Brax really looks up to Will and is amazed how he continues his passion of hockey even through 2x Leukemia. She cannot wait for his return to the ice and to watch him skate for UMD again. WILLPower!

Brax has been able to attend all the home Gopher football games so far this season. It is a goal for her to make them all and for the team to keep the Axe on her birthday as the grand finale at home!

Childhood Cancer Awareness month ended with TB1F hosting the MN Champions Tour at the hospital at the end of September. The tour pays tribute to MN Olympians and was a fun filled afternoon for patients and families. UNRL joined the party and gave away clothing to patients – how cool to be able to shop UNRL clothing during your hospital stay or clinic appointment. We also had face painting, Johnny Pops, Red Savoy Pizza, Maui Wowi Smoothies, and awesome music from GenNOW and DJ Mad Mardigan. Thank you Cub & MN Champions for helping to brighten days for our patients & families during the month we Go Gold!

Up next for Brax is starting the final round of Blin (immunotherapy). She will be inpatient for 4 days to start and will continue the rest of the 28 day infusion outpatient. After Blin she will get a week off of treatment and will start Maintenance Therapy after and until she officially finishes her treatment on November 15, 2024. We are looking forward to having the most intensive part of treatment behind us and continuing to move forward.

#We Got This

Please continue to pray for all of our friends going through treatment.

Friday, May 12^th Brax made counts and was able to start the final phase of the chemo block Continuation #1. It was a big day of treatment consisting of an LP w/chemo, 2 – IV chemos, chemo pills, and 4 days of IV chemo pushes. Brax had been feeling really good for the most part up until this treatment and it really kicked her butt. Brax was bummed she was not able to attend WineFest the next night since TB1F & our family were receiving The Ambassador Award from M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. I guess it wasn’t meant to be since that very same night she spiked a fever and needed to go to the ER. We were all shocked how fast her counts dropped and she needed to be admitted. We knew this would probably happen at some point during this tough phase but it surprised us how quickly it happened.

During what ended up being a 17 day hospital stay Brax felt pretty good once she got through the first few days of fevers. She was able to enjoy her first “Music Monday”. This is a program that is presented by TB1F and features our friends from GenNow. DJ Mad Mardigan was in the Zucker Family Suite & Broadcast Studio to share is DJ talents. Patients are able to join in the studio or watch from their rooms. We were able to learn some DJ basics and enjoy a dance party where you can request songs and even mash them up. It was so much fun and Brax even wanted to go down to the studio after the broadcast. Bry was able to come visit Brax and they were able to take advantage of the EndZone and all it has to offer. This was Brax’s first time visiting that space since her relapse and the girls had a blast doing crafts and playing sports (not too different from the time they spend together while at home) We are so thankful for the amenities and all the hospital has to offer to help patients have some fun while inpatient. Brax was discharged on Memorial Day and we were very thankful to be home and to grill and hangout as a family.

The girls wrapped the school year and Brylee was cleared to return to gymnastics just in time for summer training. We had our 3^rd Annual Putt 4 Patients on Saturday, June 10^th. This year the event took place at Scheels in Eden Prairie and it was a really fun day. Brax was very thankful she was able to attend and excited to see a great turnout of hospital families, friends, family, TB1F supporters, and Scheels shoppers. Check out the link below for a video recap from the day.

Putt 4 Patients 2023 Recap Video

On Monday, June 12 Brax started the 2^nd round of Blin – the new immunotherapy drug. It was a 4 day inpatient stay so it seemed pretty quick compared to most of our stays at Masonic. She developed some flulike symptoms but that is very common when starting the drug.

Sunday, June 25^th we hosted our 2^nd TB1F Sibling Day at Top Golf! This event filled fast and we were excited to provide an opportunity for families to get together and have some fun.

Some other things Brax has been up to since we last posted include: PT, getting outside, seeing friends, family events (Max’s birthday, Father’s Day, Jim & Allie wedding shower) Pay it Forward Golf Tournament, Hailey’s Grad Party, seeing a few movies in the theater, and all the excitement around the announcement of the 2024 Olympic Trials for GyMNastics taking place in MN.

We have one more really big event coming up this July (less than 3 weeks). We have settled on (3) fundraising events per year and they are all unique in their own way. But this July 15th we are bringing back our 3rd and final event of 2023, Summer Sounds, and partnering with Brown Boys Benefit to bring multi platinum recording artist Michael Ray to town. We are an official tour stop on his 2023 national tour and he will be supported by locally born, Nashville based country artist Alannah McCready. We are excited to bring an act of this caliber to a relatively intimate venue. If you are interested in coming to the show or would like to help volunteer, please see the link below. We do need to fill some volunteer spots still. If you already have your tickets, share with your friends and family. We want to #FillTheField on Saturday, July 15th.

Summer Sounds Tickets & Volunteer Opportunities

Brax started the next phase of treatment called Continuation 1. This phase is a mix of several types of chemo – 10 to be exact. The first week was tough due to steroids more than the IV, IT, and oral chemos. Steroids used in high doses act like a chemo in leukemia treatment. Unfortunately steroids are a big part of Brax’s treatment plan. After the first 10 days Brax started to feel pretty good and had a couple easier weeks. She was able to attend birthday parties for her baby cousins Maisy & Siena who both turned one. Brax & Bry also wanted to host Easter brunch. It was nice for Easter to feel pretty normal with us attending church together as a family, enjoying brunch, and watching the Masters. Her counts were good for the most part so she was able to see some friends, go up north for a few days, and just be a teenager for a bit.

April 10^th was National Siblings Day and TB1F wanted to celebrate siblings and the important role they play during treatment. We partnered with our friends at Red’s Savoy Pizza and treated patients and families to dinner. Speaking of siblings, for those of you who may not know, Bry had a fall on bars at gymnastics and dislocated & fractured her right elbow and also had a less severe fracture to her left. She was bummed to have to miss her State meet, but had a blast cheering her Level 7 TCT team to a State Championship. Elbows are tricky and it is a long recovery process, but she is doing what she can to get back to doing what she loves.

Brax was excited to go to Top Golf for the first time with Grandma & Grandpa. She has been wanting to go for awhile and one of the positive things about going to school online at home is the flexible schedule. She had a blast and is looking forward to spending more time golfing this summer. Brax continues to go to physical therapy and has made a lot of progress over the past couple months.

Friday, April 28^th was set to be a big day – Brax was hoping to start the final (and toughest) phase of this Continuation block of treatment and it was the the same day as the 3^rd Annual Champion’s Cup. Brax did not make counts (ANC & Platelets needs to meet a certain criteria in order to start the next round of treatment) and she was not able to attend the event in person this year due to being immune compromised. The event was a huge success with TB1F raising over $410,000 for the event and over $1.1Million since Brax created her foundation in September 2019. Huge thank you to all of our sponsors, partners, and donors that continue to support Brax and TB1F.

Since Brax had her treatment delayed she was feeling good enough to attend the Scheels Eden Prairie Family Fun Day. This event made it possible for Scheels to donate $5,000 to TB1F to help brighten the days of patients and families at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. Scheels in Eden Prairie will be the location for our 3^rd Annual Putt 4 Patients presented by BMW of Minnetonka on Saturday, June 10^th, 2023. Tickets and more info are available at Putt 4 Patients Info This event is whole-family friendly afternoon.

Finally, we and Brown Boys Benefit had the pleasure of meeting Michael Ray who will be this year’s headliner at our 2^nd Summer Sounds Charity Music Festival. The concert will be Saturday, July 15^th at Willow Tree Winery in Ham Lake and you won’t want to miss it! Tickets on-sale now Summer Sounds Info These are selling fast due to Michael adding our stop to his 2023 National Tour stop. Alannah McCready is back to open the show again this year too!

More importantly than anything we do is the health of our kids and we’d ask that you continue to keep Brax in your prayers as well as her buddies, especially Megan and Casey right now. We will update again in June!

Brax was finally discharged after a 26 day inpatient stay for Block 2 of treatment. It felt great to be home and sleep in her own bed and have a mini break before starting the next cycle of treatment. During the break Brax & Bry went to UNRL for a photo shoot for the UNRL x BRAX collection. Both girls had a blast and we were excited with how the gear turned out. Brax is honored to be named an official UNRL Athlete and represent the clothing brand, not to mention they are great friends and people.

On Friday, February 10th Brax was once again admitted to start the first cycle of Blinatumomab (aka Blin). This is the new targeted immunotherapy drug that we are hoping will be the cure for Brax this time around. The med is programmed to hunt out leukemia cells that may be hiding and go undetected and lead to another relapse. The best thing about this med is that it only kills the bad cells, unlike chemo that kills all cells. This means Brax should feel better and have better blood counts during this cycle of treatment. That ultimately leads to her having more energy, getting to see friends & family, and getting to get out into the world more. Typically kids who are MRD negative at the end of the first month do better with this med and thankfully that has been the case for Brax. You need to be inpatient for 72 hours the first time you start the med since there are several side effects that need to be monitored. Brax has not experienced any side effects so far and is doing great. The only catch is that a Blin cycle is 28 days long and she is having a continuous infusion the entire time. This means she is accessed (port needle in her chest and hooked up to the med) the entire time. She was discharged after 4 days inpatient and we have been working with Fairview Home Infusion for her outpatient care. She has the new IV med bag delivered on Tuesday night and a home healthcare nurse comes on Wednesdays to swap things out. She is in charge of changing the batteries on her pump every 48 hours to make sure there are no interruptions to her med. Brax is in clinic on Fridays to get labs, meet with her team, and change her port needle. She had a lumbar puncture with chemo to start week #2 of the Blin and meet with her team in sedation. They are very pleased with how things are going so far. Brax has been able to see a few friends, go to TCT a few times, cheer on her sister and other teammates at Twisted Moose & Northern Lights, go out to eat, and start outpatient physical therapy. Brax finished Blin Cycle #1 on March 10th and will get a one week break from treatment before she starts the next phase, which will once again be different types of chemotherapy.

Shout out to Twin City Twisters – Brax & Bry’s gymnastics club. Brax was an honorary team member at Winter Cup and the TCT Elites dedicated the meet to her. Congrats on an incredible start to the Elite season. TCT hosted Northern Lights and Brax’s teammates competed in a special Team Brax leo to show their amazing support. Brax was able to join Brylee/coaches/teammates on the floor for this meet and it was special for our entire family. We could not be more proud of our TCT family and all of the support they have given Brax, Bry, our family, and TB1Fund.

Thanks again to everyone to continues to check-in on Brax and support her in numerous ways through this relapse.

Also, please keep an eye our for upcoming TB1F events. Date are now officially set and there is some fun stuff coming.

Friday, April 28 – 3rd Annual TB1F Champions Cup (Sold Out)

Saturday, June 10 – 3rd Annual TB1F Putt4Patients by BMW of Minnetonka. This year we will hold this event at Scheels in Eden Prairie and tickets go on sale April 8th. Family Friendly Event!

Saturday, July 15 – 2nd Annual Summer Sounds Concert. We are back this year with Alannah McCready returning, along with headliner Michael Ray! Michael’s team has name our stop an official 2023 National Tour stop which has added some wrinkles, but we are so excited to welcome Michael to town this July. Tickets on sale now! For more info see link below.

https://tb1fund.org/tb1f%2Fbb-summer-sounds

Hopefully we will see everyone at one or more of these events!