Mateo is a brave and joyful 10-year-old with a heart full of kindness and a smile that lights up every room. In the fall of 2023, Mateo—who had just started Kindergarten and was learning to play soccer—began to feel unwell. Though his symptoms were subtle, his parents noticed changes, and on the evening of November 6, 2023, after discovering a few bumps on his head, they took him to a local clinic.
By the following morning, their world changed forever: Mateo was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). He was immediately transferred to TRF Partner Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where his care team acted quickly to begin chemotherapy.
Over the next seven months, Mateo courageously endured five rounds of intensive chemo. In the summer of 2024, he rang the bell, celebrating his remission with his family by his side. But in mid-November 2024, he fell ill again—initially diagnosed with pneumonia. Within hours, the family received another devastating call: the cancer had returned.
Now back at NCH, Mateo is undergoing additional rounds of chemotherapy in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. Despite the challenges, Mateo continues to shine—beloved by his nurses and doctors, and admired by his family for his strength, spirit, and resilience.