Family wins fight to bring son to experimental leukemia treatment

Thursday, December 29, 2016
SEBASTIAN, FL -- A Florida family has won its battle to get experimental treatment in Philadelphia which might save their son.

"Well, I have these skull PJs, and here's my tux," says Jackson Hunter, with a sly smile.
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5-year-old Jackson hasn't lost his playful nature, despite acute leukemia that's no longer responding to conventional treatments.

Doctors believe his last chance may be pioneering trials at Children's Hospital which use a child's own disease-fighting T-cells to attack cancer.

Florida Medicaid said no, because the procedure is out-of-state, and experimental.

The family needed help, fast.



Mom Gina Hunter, who hails from Bucks County, recalls,
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"Jack has a Facebook page, Action4Jackson, and I just put it out there that this is a very dire moment. We need approval, and we need it now, we need it yesterday. It went viral. People just calling,writing letters." says Gina.

Dad Eric told his son," Thousands of people of people were all fighting for you, buddy."

Jackson's mom Gina says within a day, they got the approval.

The Hunter family says no words can express their gratitude to everyone who helped, and they hope to be in Philadelphia soon, hopefully by February.
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