The Washington Family

Jelani Washington is a very bright and engaging 14-year-old who loves gardening,  gaming, research, basketball, and family. He spent his summer working hard to make his high school basketball team for freshman year. Toward the end of the summer, he thought he might improve his chances of making the team by building some muscle mass so he started making protein shakes to aid in that effort. A few weeks later, he had blood in his urine the night before  freshman year started. Initially his mom and grandmother thought the protein shakes may have irritated his kidneys and bladder.

After the first day of school he also complained of being in pain so his mom took him to the emergency room where they learned he had a golf-ball sized tumor in his right kidney. Two days later, his kidney was removed and during the operation, surgeons found more tumors on two of his lymph nodes so he also had a full lymphendectomy on his right side. Jelani has been diagnosed with Renal Meduallar Carcinoma (RMC), an extremely rare and aggressive form of kidney cancer that afflicts people with sickle cell trait. Because of the rareness of the disease, treatments are largely experimental.

Jelani is the oldest of four children. He has a twin sister and two 2-year-old baby sisters who are also twins. He is being raised by a single mom. His family resides in Indiana and has sought guidance and input from a doctor who specializes in Renal Medullar Carcinoma at MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston, Texas. Unfortunately, Jelani's medical insurance will only cover 60% of any care received at MD Anderson. Jelani's family needs help with living expenses, transportation costs, and medical expenses during this crisis.