Cancer Fighter Brings Joy to Patients at Golisano

“Toys make a huge difference for these kids,” said Erica Pickett, Adyn’s mom. “Not just that day, but every day moving forward. It keeps them busy when they are living within these four walls.”

Worrying about Santa not finding them, missing out on treasured family traditions, not being in their own living rooms to tear open gifts under the tree: These are all things that run through a child’s mind when spending the holidays in the hospital.

Adyn Pickett has been battling cancer since December 2016.

Knowing what the holidays can feel like while being confined to a hospital room, Adyn and his sister Abby have set out for the second year in a row to bring some joy to the children at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

Adyn and Abby’s Lego’cy Holiday Toy Drive raised 1,800 toys for the patients at Golisano and John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.

For the Picketts, spending the holidays in the hospital is something that they are all too familiar with.

At only 4 years old, Adyn was diagnosed with high risk b-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Being diagnosed as high risk meant that Adyn had a greater chance of relapsing.

After 10 months of aggressive treatment, Adyn finally reached the maintenance stage of treatment. But in August 2018, results of a lumbar puncture showed something devastating: The cancer was back.

Adyn has relapsed two more times — even after exhausting aggressive treatment options including chemotherapy and two bone marrow transplants, one from his younger sister, Abby.

Adyn is now battling cancer for the fourth time and is currently on his last standard treatment option (DLI).

Though he has gone through unimaginable trials in his eight years, his smile and contagious energy light up the entire room.

Santa even sent his elves to deliver toys to Adyn and Abby to thank them for their generous donation.

Thank you, Adyn and Abby!