A video of a father and his son dancing to celebrate being 11 months of the toddler being cancer-free has gone viral.
Kristian Thomas, two, of Merchantville, New Jersey, was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer, in June 2018.
While he was in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy, his father, Kenny, a choreographer and dance studio owner, would dance for Kristian, who would clap and bounce along.
After five rounds of chemotherapy, Kristian was declared cancer-free in November 2018.
To celebrate the 11-month mark, Kenny, 35, and Kristian danced together to a song by rapper Lil Mama in a clip that has garnered nearly 15,000 views.
‘Father Son chemistry…11 Months Cancer Free!! If we can do it you can do it!! Live Free!! Drop a [heart emoji] for Father Son Vibes!!!’ Kenny wrote in caption on Instagram.
Kristian Thomas, two, of Merchantville, New Jersey, and his father, Kenny, celebrated 11 months of the toddler being cancer-free (left and right). In a video posted to Instagram, the two danced to a song by rapper Lil Mama
Before Kristian was born, he was diagnosed with Down syndrome, which occurs when a person is born with an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21, and leads to cognitive delays. Pictured: Kenny dancing by Kristian’s hospital bed during chemotherapy treatments
In July 2016, Kenny’s wife, Josilyne, became pregnant with Kristian, the couple’s fourth child.
Several weeks later, during an OBGYN visit, she learned there was a 75 percent chance their son would be born with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs when a person is born with an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21.
This additional genetic material results in the physical features and developmental changes associated with the disorder, such as a small head, flattened face, poor muscle tone, upward slanting eye lids and short height.
While all babies with Down syndrome will experience cognitive delays, the effects can range from mild to severe.
According to the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), one in every 700 babies in the US is born with the disorder.
The NDSS also states that life expectancy for those with those with Down syndrome has spiked from 25 in 1983 to 60 in 2018.
However, there are a variety of health problems sufferers may face including heart defects, gastrointestinal defects, obesity and sleep apnea.
‘When we received the diagnosis, [the doctors] made it seem it was like a death sentence,’ Kenny’s wife, Josilyne, said in a video blog.
‘Many, many times they would come to us and tell us that maybe we should abort Kristian because he could possibly have brain issues and heart issues.’
After Kristian was born, he was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder often found in children with Down syndrome.
After Kristian was born, he was diagnosed with a blood disorder that increase his risk of developing leukemia, a blood cancer. Kristian was diagnosed with cancer in June 2018 and would undergo chemotherapy with his father Kenny dancing by his bed side. Pictured, left and right: Kristian and Kenny dancing to celebrate 11 months of being cancer-free
In November 2018, after five months of chemotherapy, Kristian was declared cancer-free. Pictured: Kristian with his father, Kenny
Because he has a blood disorder, Kristian’s blood platelet count was low, which doctors warned the parents could be a sign that he could eventually develop leukemia.
In June 2018, the then-one-year-old was diagnosed with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, reported PIX 11.
As Kristian prepared to undergo chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Kenny wanted to make the process easier for his son, so he began dancing for him to distract and cheer up the toddler.
One of Kenny’s first videos that was posted to Instagram was him dancing to the song Level Up by Ciara after Kristian’s first round of chemotherapy in July 2018.
In the clip, Kenny busts out a few impressive moves as Kristian watches and smiles from his hospital bed.
‘I’ve been doing these videos and people have been loving them since the first one that I did,’ he told PIX 11.
‘I figure why…be the dad that’s grieving and complaining about his son being in the hospital and his family being in the hospital all day?
‘Why don’t I change things up a little bit and let’s show people how to be positive in this situation?’
In November, Kristian finished his fifth and final round of chemotherapy, after which he was declared cancer-free.
Next month will mark the one-year anniversary of Kristian having no detectable signs of cancer.