August 28,2021

11:00am - 2:00pm

Row for King Xzaidyn

Cancer Creates Warriors

2728 Pheasant StreetSpringfield, OR, 97477 United States

Today we share with you a story about a little boy named Xzaidyn and how our community has rallied together to help a family in need.

Xzaidyn is the nephew of KB, a staff member at our Springfield gym.  His father, Flavio who goes by Junior, is one of our gym members.  Xzaidyn, now 6 years old, was diagnosed with leukemia when he was just 3.   For almost 3 years, the doctors did their best to treat Xzaidyn’s disease.  He did reach remission but eventually relapsed.   That meant the treatment he was on was no longer working.   It was determined the next step would be a bone marrow transplant. 

Xzaidyn is a remarkable little boy full of energy and very busy.   He is tall, has dark brown eyes, and has an incredible smile.   He loves to play games with his family and watch videos.   His favorite movie is Osmosis Jones, an animated videos series about fighting germs.  Another movie favorite; Kungfu Panda.   His best friend is his older brother, Xxavier.  When asked to describe Xzaidyn as the child and not the cancer patient, his parents smile.   “He lights up a room when he walks in it,” says Brittnay, Xzaidyn’s mom.  “He’s like a ray of sunshine in the dark,” describes dad. “He is always joking.  Even when he’s hurting, he is always telling jokes.”  

In just a few weeks Xzaidyn and his mom will head to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland.  Junior and Xxavier will stay home in Springfield.  For two weeks the medical team will prepare Xzaidyn for his bone marrow transplant.  He will be in the hospital for almost 5 weeks after the surgery.  Then he and his mom will spend the next 100 days at Portland’s Ronald McDonald House.

Very soon after hearing Xzaidyn’s story, many people started asking, “What can we do to help support Xzaidyn and his family?”  Within days, the wheels were in motion!  Our Cancer Creates Warriors named Xzaidyn August Warrior of the Month.   The family is scheduled to tell their story on the Rick Dancer Show this week.  A CCW rowathon has been set for August 21st where Xzaidyn will be dubbed “King for a Day.”    Not only have members of the University of Oregon Men’s Hockey team signed up to row (wow!) for Xzaidyn, but they are also donating Ducks swag and honoring Xzaidyn at one of their hockey games.  All three Elements gyms in Springfield and Eugene will donate the first month of any new member’s dues to the family.   And the list goes on and on!

Please stay tuned as there is so much more to this story. If you’d like to participate or donate to Xzaidyn and his family, please contact Leah at leah.gaskins@cancercreateswarriors.org

The Men's University of Oregon Hockey team will be onsite to show their MAD row skills. They also have some very special surprises in store for our young King!

Sponsors

Elements Health Club, University of Oregon Men’s Hockey Team, Second Story Marketing Group, Nicole Joyce Health Counseling