nixonstrong Stories
McKay Hansen
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Child’s Story
Asiel Williams
Diagnosis: Neuroblastoma
McKay was originally diagnosed in February 2014, at the age of 3 with Stage 4, High-Risk Neuroblastoma. He completed 17 months of frontline treatment, which included 5 rounds of induction chemo, tumor resection surgery, high dose chemo and stem cell transplant, 12 rounds of radiation, and 6 rounds of immunotherapy. He then went on to complete an additional 2 years of a preventative drug, called DFMO. He became NED (No Evidence of Disease) in July 2015. McKay hit 5 years NED in July 2020, and was considered “cancer-free”.
Then in February 2021, at the age of 10, McKay relapsed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma…the same exact weekend of his original diagnosis…just 7 years apart! He battled relapsed neuroblastoma for 3 years and 1 month, receiving medical care in Salt Lake City, New York City, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, chasing therapies and treatments to look for a cure. Over that timeframe, he did 28 cycles of chemo/immunotherapy, 2 cycles of high-dose MIBG therapy, 3 cycles of oral chemo, 2 cycles of low-dose MIBG therapy paired with a targeted inhibitor, and 4 separate radiation sessions that included 10 rounds of radiation each.
In February 2024, it was found that the disease, while already extensively in his bones and bone marrow, had spread to his liver, spleen, lungs, and additional areas of his skull, making it unsafe to continue any further therapy. He continued to do blood and platelet transfusions for a few weeks, knowing that that was what was keeping him alive at that point to enjoy the time he had left on this earth.
When it no longer made sense to continue transfusions, he chose to stop, and passed away within a day, on March 17, 2024, after completing a 10 year and 1 month journey with neuroblastoma, just 7 weeks shy of his 14th birthday.
Child’s Wish
The gift of T.I.M.E.
As I reflect back on January 2024, I am reminded of the miracles and gifts that unfolded. McKay had been fighting relapse for stage 4 neuroblastoma for nearly 3 years, and we were out of options. McKay wasn’t done fighting, and he wanted to continue to pursue treatments. Because his time on earth was dwindling down, doctors advised to not travel for treatment (as we had for 2 years already) because time was not on our side, and time with family needed to be the priority. As we prayerfully discussed the balance of family time while also honoring McKay’s wishes to still pursue another treatment out of state to extend his life, NixonStrong came into the picture to help us have both.
As a family, we embarked on a 12 day journey to California for a hopeful treatment for McKay. We had never traveled as a family for treatment before because financially, it was out of reach, and it didn’t make sense, but this time was different. McKay’s mortal life was coming to an end. We knew it. He knew it. Doctors knew it. With the help and support of 3 collaborating oncology teams, we came up with a plan of action of treatment for McKay. It came with many many risks, which we were not naive to, and we needed to have our other children close by, in case anything catastrophic were to happen. NixonStrong Foundation helped our family make the trek to California so that we could be together as a family—something that we would not have been able to do on our own.
Despite those 12 days in California being extremely hospital-heavy laden days, we were able to find time away from the hospital with our family, spending time with one another, creating one last “vacation” of memories between the crevices of treatment. Those moments were (and still are) absolutely priceless, and our kids still talk about that time fondly—there were so many special bonding moments. It was so special to have that last “trip” together, where the “noise” of everyday life was out of the way, and we could focus on each other, make those memories, and hope for the best for McKay. We will forever be grateful to the NixonStrong Foundation for helping our family create those lasting memories. Not only were we able to have those moments in California with our family, but that treatment did give McKay 3 extra months of life, that I know he would not have had otherwise.
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