***1 YEAR***
New Year, Bowl Game & Hall of Fame
It’s been a busy couple weeks for Brax and everything has been going very well. We can’t tell you how nice it is to finally have some normalcy back after nearly 1 year. The family stayed close to home this year and had a GREAT CHRISTMAS! We are realizing how BIG the little things are after this past year. #GRATEFUL
As of writing this, Brax is nearly done with her radiation treatments. She has 10 total and completed her 8th one today. She will finish on Wednesday the 8th, which will be exactly 1 year to the day that her symptoms first started. Below are a couple pics of the room and the special mask Brax wears during treatment. Things are going very well and we are hopeful she will breeze through the last 2 treatments.
Brax has been getting back to gym for regular workouts and getting out and about a little since she is feeling really good. She had a chance to catch up with her good friend Megan for a pottery day after Christmas. It was so nice seeing Megan and her doing well!
Due to timing of radiation and how Christmas and New Year’s fell, Brax initially thought she wouldn’t be able to make the Gophers Football Bowl game in Florida…..she was bumming big time. The plan all along was to go once the game & date was announced, but because of the delays in counts it pushed everything back. However, Dr. Sadak worked some scheduling magic which allowed Brax and the family to fly down for a couple days. Brax has not been outside a 25 mile radius in nearly a year, after traveling frequently nearly her entire life. So this was BIG to get back on plane. As you can see below, she wasn’t taking any chances getting sick….hahahahaha!!
We got to Florida without any issues and saw a phenomenal Outback Bowl! The weather was great, the seats were great and the WIN over Auburn was the cherry on top of historic season for the Gophers!
Brax experienced some moments she will never forget! After the game, good friend Casey O’Brien ran over to see Brax. Check out the video on the Fun Stuff page – it’s AWESOME!
We hung out for a bit after the game to see the guys come out of the locker room and this ended up being another moment Brax will never forget.
Coach Fleck came out sporting his TB1F hoodie and had a fun exchange with Brax. Again, you have check out this video on the Fun Stuff page – I promise it won’t disappoint. Coach Fleck, Heather, Casey and entire Gopher Football family have been so supportive of Brax this year and we are so thankful for the friendships built.
After a whirlwind couple days, the girls found a little time to play in the pool before we had to fly home. It was hard leaving, but we are so thankful it worked to go and things went as well as they did in every respect – health, travel, weather, game…..
We got back to MN late on Thursday, Jan 2 and Brax was back at it again on Friday. She was inducted in the Minnesota Gymnastics Foundation Hall of Fame as this year’s Abby Szott Courage Award Winner along with two other very special girls we have gotten to know, who have also beaten cancer. Strong girls!
Saturday all the girls were back at the U to shoot a social media ad for the January 25th Cancer Awareness Meet.
Then to end the week, Brax was asked to give an interview with Hannah Flood and Fox 9 News regarding her relationship with Coach Fleck and the football team this season. Below is a small part of the interview that aired on Fox 9 Sunday night.
Brax has been busy to say the least, but she’s taking advantage of feeling good and loving the fact that she is able to do all of this.
Thanks again to everyone who is following Brax’s Journey via this page or social media and for everyone that has helped support TB1Fund and her mission to help other kids and families at the U of M Masonic Children’s Hospital. It’s awesome to see the support and the good that is coming of this.
Thanks to everyone for the continue prayers and encouragement. The mental part of this battle can be just as challenging as the physical and our TEAM of family and friends is UNMATCHED! THANK YOU!
Finally, we’d like to ask you to continue to keep Brax’s buddies Bella, Casey & Megan in your prayers as they continue kick cancer’s butt as well!
And as a quick send off, check out UNRL’s Ending of a Decade video below. Thanks to MJ and his Team for all the support this past year. We are looking forward to 2020!