Young Cancer Patient Asks For Cards For Last Christmas (Photos)

A 9-year-old boy battling stage 4 cancer is asking for Christmas cards to celebrate his “last Christmas” early.

On Oct. 11, 9-year-old Jacob Thompson was admitted to a children’s hospital in Maine, where doctors told his family he only he had about one month to live, Good Housekeeping reports.

Doctors diagnosed Jacob with Neuroblastoma when he was 5 years old. Neuroblastoma forms in nerve cells and, in Jacob’s case, spread to his head and his hop. Treatment was unsuccessful.

The 9-year-old was looking forward to Christmas this year, but because his family does not think he is going to make, they will celebrate early.

Jacob’s family is asking people to send Christmas cards for Jacob in time for their family’s Christmas celebration. He has already started receiving cards.

“Jacob loves the holiday season,” said his mother, Michelle Thompson Simard. “We want him to know that Christmas wishes come true and that there are good people who care all around the world.”

Jacob’s mother launched a GoFundMe page to help their family through the difficult times ahead.

On the GoFundMe page, she explained Jacob’s condition in further detail:

On October 11, 2017 Jacob was admitted to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital for the last time. Jacob’s Neuroblastoma has spread to his head- namely the sinuses, bottom of the skull, several spots in the small bones in the inner ear and several spots on the membrane between the skull and brain. We started radiation a week prior and Jacob’s condition got worse and he was having no success with oral pain meds. 

On on the Monday the 10th we started chemotherapy in conjunction with the radiation and by Wednesday the doctors were concerned that there were no significant reduction of pain and decided to admit Jacob. Since then we have learned that his hip is extreamly peppered by tumors, which was described as looking like lace. This obviously has added to the pain and more importantly with his ability to walk and move around.

With that being said, his father, Roger and myself have been told that we should be spending as much time as possible with him and we should start making arrangements for his passing. It is expected Jacob may pass away within the month. Today Roger and I went to start making prearrangements for Jacob’s funeral, and were sticker shocked. No one thinks about having to do this type of planning for their child and because of that we did nor do not have life insurance on him. We are asking for some assistance from family and friends to help support this. 

We we understand everyone lives on a budget and if you can not donate the best way to help (other than prayers) is to pass this along on your Facebook or other social media. Jacob has touched the lives of so many, he as well his father and myself appreciate your continued support, love, and well wishes.

The family has asked that anybody interested in sending Jacob a Christmas card mail the cards to:

Jacob Thompson 
C/O Maine Medical Center
22 Bramhall St. 
Portland, ME 04102

Sources: Good Housekeeping, GoFundMe / Featured Image: Pixabay / Embedded Images: Michelle Thompson Simard/Facebook, Michelle Thompson Simard via Good Housekeeping