Family Turns Son’s Leukemia Journey Into Advocacy

The day after Mother’s Day 2023, Molly and Ian Rockwood of Rocky River, Ohio, finally learned why their active 7-year-old boy, Spencer, had spent two months battling fatigue, lingering viruses and unhealing bruises.

On Sunday, the first grader dominated a soccer match and pitched a baseball doubleheader. But on Monday, a chest X-ray revealed a collapsed lung and compromised windpipe. Molly and Ian estimate their little boy had been to urgent care and doctors’ offices about eight times over a two-month period.

Spencer was rushed by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic Main Campus intensive care unit. Within 36 hours, he received a chest tube, a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line and treatment for a neck blood clot. At the hospital his family received the diagnosis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). T-ALL is a fast-growing blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and spreads and can affect young children.

The diagnosis launched a grueling two-and-a-half-year medical marathon. Both parents had to take months off work to navigate unpredictable hospital stays and the toll of frequent treatments. Spencer lost weight, hair and muscle mass, and used a wheelchair for several months. In addition, his weakened immune system required that the family see only immediate relatives during that difficult first year.

The family is especially grateful to Spencer’s medical team, led by Seth Rotz, MD, not only for care but also for transforming what could have been a sterile environment into a welcoming, comforting place. “They made it fun,” Molly says. “He always wanted to go to the pediatric infusion room.”    

Through it all, Spencer showed the will of a competitor and had plenty of support and healthy distractions from family and friends — most notably his best pal, Frank; his older brother, Everett; and his two dogs, Griffey and Louie.

Despite severe physical limitations, Spencer didn’t let his medical care sideline him from sports, though he always followed his doctors’ guidance. Sometimes, he would play video games with Everett, swap out baseballs for Wiffle balls or play beach-ball kickball. “Just whatever we could do in the house,” Ian recalls.

Spencer’s treatment schedule did require him to miss the end of first grade and the entirety of second grade. To keep him on track, his school district assigned a retired teacher whom the family already knew to tutor him at her home. She was another positive influence,” Molly says. “She did an amazing job keeping Spencer up to date.”

September 2026 marks exactly one year since Spencer finished treatment. Now 10 years old, he is back to football, basketball, baseball, soccer and golf, and his immune system has rebounded. Still, the emotional and physical toll lingers, as he returns for lab work every two months.

“Every time he gets his labs drawn, I still have my fingers crossed and pray,” Molly says.

“The slightest cold or the slightest sniffle brings on a wave of fear and anxiety,” says Ian.

Now, the family hopes to raise awareness of pediatric cancer through VeloSano Trike & Bike. Trike & Bike is a community fundraising initiative that supports VeloSano, Cleveland Clinic’s year-round cancer research fundraising movement. The annual youth bike ride provides a meaningful way for children to raise money for pediatric cancer research at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.

With September recognized as Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, Molly and Ian are sharing hard-earned wisdom from Spencer’s journey. Molly’s top advice for parents facing similar circumstances: Focus on the next step.

“Early on, a nurse told us, ‘Don’t look too far because it’s a long road,’” Molly says. “It sounds cliché, but looking at what was right ahead of me was super helpful.” Ian agrees, emphasizing the importance of taking the journey milestone by milestone. “Looking at the entire road ahead is just too overwhelming.”

The couple also urges families to trust their instincts, advocate fiercely for their children and “accept every ounce of help offered.” Molly also suggests connecting with other parents whose children have completed leukemia treatment, noting that “talking with parents on the other side really gives you hope.”

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