Brave Beginnings – Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML)

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a rare type of leukemia, with only 1 to 2 cases per million people, according to the National Cancer Society.

In Mountainburg, Arkansas, Amanda and her husband, Dustin, were overjoyed when they welcomed their fourth child, Daxtin, into their family, who was also their first boy. But that joy was short-lived when they discovered Daxtin had JMML, an extremely rare and deadly blood cancer. 

From there, Daxtin’s family and doctors race to find the right treatment while encountering numerous obstacles, including the COVID-19 shutdown and a last-minute medical complication. By the end of his story, it becomes clear why Daxtin’s doctors refer to him as the “miracle baby.”

This episode also features in-depth commentary from renowned expert Elliot Stieglitz, MD, Associate Professor, William Fries II Endowed Chair of Pediatric Oncology, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.