11-year-old boy rings bell after defeating leukemia
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Elijah Lewis, 11, has had a lot of trips to the doctor over the past three years.
"1,046 treatment days, 27 spinal taps, over 300 steroid doses," Elijah's mother, Lakesha Lewis said.
It all started when he was getting headaches and his mom took him to the doctor.
"I expected her to call me and say, 'Baby, he has a cold or flu' or something like that," said the boy's father, Billy Lewis.
The diagnosis was leukemia. He was nine-years-old at the time. His family feared the worst, but Elijah is fighter.
We first met him two and half years ago as he was undergoing treatment.
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"He's always smiling. He never gave up on himself and he kind of kept us on a positive road," his mom said.
On Friday, Elijah rang the bell at Texas Children's Hospital, ringing in the new year cancer free. He finished treatments early.
"It was like Christmas came early," Lakesha said.
Elijah's doctor said 80 percent of kids that have cancer are cured of it and, in the case of leukemia, it can be between 80 and 95 percent.
"Elijah's right up there with that 90 percent," Texas Children's Hospital's Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer said. "He should be cured of his disease. He should grow up to do whatever he was put on Earth to do."
