Heartbreak as Mom and Baby Diagnosed With Stage 3 Cancer Within Four Months

In the children's wing of Stanford Hospital, two-year-old Jaxson Huyn receives treatment for a rare cancer, while in another ward his mom, Donna, awaits chemotherapy.

The family, from California, received shocking news twice in the space of four months, as both mother and son were diagnosed with stage 3 cancer in quick succession.

Donna's husband, Ken, told Newsweek about the double diagnosis that has turned their world upside down.

"I am trying my best to stay positive and strong," the 36-year-old said.

The family's ordeal began in October 2021 when Jaxson and his twin brother, Kingston, were born premature at 25 weeks, weighing just 1 pound. After an agonizing wait in the NICU, the boys finally came home last February.

But the family's joy was short-lived, as a year later his parents noticed Jaxson's stomach had ballooned and he refused to consume anything. He was diagnosed with constipation, but his stomach remained hard and swollen for a month.

"Jaxson had an X-ray and the doctors said his stomach had extra poop and we shouldn't be too concerned," Ken said.

Around the same time, Donna, 35, noticed three lumps in her breast, but she was told it was nothing to worry about. According to John Hopkins Medicine, some mothers are prone to developing a plugged milk duct, which feels like a lump in the breast. This is usually a result of going too long without emptying milk from her breasts.

"We went to the doctors for both of them and were initially told the lumps are most likely linked to her pregnancy and they will just remove them," Ken said.

Donna's attention was focused on her son, whose condition was worsening. On May 27, a CT scan and X-ray revealed he had stage 3 liver cancer, known as hepatoblastoma. According to Stanford Children's hospital, babies who are born at a low birth weight are more at risk.

"After finding out about Jaxon, we were devastated. Our hearts were broken," Ken said.

Donna's lumps were at the back of their mind after discovering Jaxon's diagnosis, as she wasn't experiencing any other symptoms of cancer.

"That's the scary part," Ken said. She underwent further tests, and a biopsy revealed stage 3 metastatic cancer. This is cancer that spreads from where it started to a distant part of the body.

Ken quit his job as a casino card dealer to look after his family. "I'm currently being a full time dad 24-7 and trying to juggle caring for the three boys," he said.

Amid these "extremely challenging" times, his 82-year-old mom helps out with childcare for Kingston, and their older son, Ace, 7.

"My mother is the strongest out of our whole family—I am one of eight and she has taken care of all of us after our dad lost his battle to cancer when I was 12.

"My mom helps out with all of the little things like making them food, feeding them, and putting them to bed," Ken said.

Jaxon had surgery on October 2 and has been receiving chemotherapy three times a month. Eighty percent of his liver was removed by the doctors, along with the tumor.

The toddler is currently recuperating at home with his family, but beginning next week, he will undergo two more rounds of chemotherapy.

"Since the surgery Jaxson been more active and happier. He brings a lot of joy to the family—he is such a strong kid!" Ken said.

The liver has the greatest regenerative capacity of any organ in the body, according to Mayo Clinic. The family have been told Jaxson's liver should take four to six weeks to grow back.

Meanwhile, Donna began chemotherapy and radiation treatment on October 10 at the same hospital.

The parents had been taking it in turns to spend the night with Jaxson, but Donna was hospitalized on October 25 when the chemotherapy port became infected and a blood clot was found in her neck.

"The doctors are worried in case the infection spreads which can be very dangerous so she all paused for chemotherapy at the moment until the results come back negative," Ken said.

"Donna has been very annoyed lately as she is going through so much but she still has a lot of faith and trust in our God that everything happens for a reason."

The ordeal has been impossibly hard for the family in many respects, and they have been left with no choice but to set up a GoFundMe page. The page currently has over $46,000 in donations.

"The recovery process for both Jaxson and Donna will be a long, ongoing process, with lots of uncertainty—but the Huynh family are strong, positive and prayerful," it says.

Ken remains optimistic. "Every day is tough but seeing their smiles give me the strength to keep going," he said.

"Staying strong and being patient is key. Tough times don't last forever."

While Jaxon and Donna don't have the same cancer, it can run in families, with breast, ovarian, colorectal, and prostate cancer being the most prevalent at being passed on through genes.

Dr. Richard Chen is the chief medical officer at Personalis, a cancer genomics company based in Menlo Park, California.

"It is indeed possible that a predisposition to certain types of cancer can run in families," he told Newsweek.

"This is typically due to inherited mutations in specific genes that can increase the risk of developing cancer. For breast cancer, mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most well-known, but there are other genes that can also contribute to the risk. For liver cancer, the genetic component is less commonly discussed, but there may be genetic syndromes or mutations that could increase the risk."

Chen encourages parents who are have a family history of cancer to undergo genetic testing ahead of conceiving.

"This testing can identify heritable mutations in genes known to be associated with an increased cancer risk," he said.

Dr. Chen, who also served on the clinical faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, added: "It's important to remember that even if there is a hereditary component, not everyone who carries a genetic mutation will develop cancer. Lifestyle and environmental factors also play a significant role in the development of many cancers. Genetic counseling and testing can provide valuable information and help guide individuals and families in managing their cancer risk."

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