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This story is about a very special survivor! Devin Randall Ross was born on March 13, 1996, in Salt Lake City to Randall and Alisa (Woods) Ross. From the moment he was born, he was a beautiful little curly headed boy. He was always wise beyond his years, and curious to learn about everything around him.
Then, when he was seven, something was going very wrong. This healthy, happy little boy was suddenly sick way too much. Numerous visits to his pediatrician and referrals to specialists offered up the diagnosis of severe asthma. Then one night, Devin could not breathe when he was lying down. He was taken to the emergency room, where an X-ray was ordered. The ER doc came out and told his mom that they would like to Mediflight him to Primary Children’s Hospital. They had found a large mediastinal mass that had collapsed his lung and moved his heart out of place. So began Devin’s two-year journey into a world that no child should ever have to see.
The diagnosis the next day was Non-Hodgkins T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma Stage 3. For two years, Devin fought with everything in him to slay this beast within him. There were many times when things looked hopeless, but Devin never gave up.
He battled through blood clots in his brain, a one in 3 million reaction from asperiginase, one of the chemo treatments that his body could not tolerate. He spent countless hours in the hospital, with nausea so overwhelming that he could not tolerate to even smell food, much less eat it. RSV, which generally presents as a bad cold in older children, landed Devin back in the hospital fighting for every breath. On the trip to the hospital that night, Devin was very quiet, and his dad asked him “what are you thinking, Devi” and his answer broke everyone’s heart. He answered, “I was wondering if I was going to die tonight?” No child should have to think those thoughts!
Through the grace of God, prayers going up all over the world, a staff of doctors and nurses committed to getting these kids back into life, and a family there with Devin every inch of the way, Devin made it through! At his last day of chemo party at PCMC, Dr. Lemons, the head of oncology, told Devin he should be very proud of himself because he had just completed the most aggressive protocol of any cancer patient in the hospital. And proud he was!
The cancer road was supposed to end there, but unfortunately, children being treated for cancer during their formative years will have to deal with lots of curve balls for the rest of their lives. Devin’s philosophy on that “ I had cancer, it didn’t have me”!
Through a Web site created for families who have children with cancer called Caringbridge.org, Devin and his family have met many wonderful people all around the world. They have been fortunate enough to meet people from Scotland and Hungary who have come to visit them in the United States. Their hearts have broken many times, when some of their Caringbridge friends didn’t win their battles. They have participated in more than one balloon launching with messages for the newest little angels in heaven.
Devin was asked to speak to the West Jordan High School during a cancer awareness program. He received a standing ovation! He takes every opportunity he can to advocate for childhood cancer funding. He represented the state of Utah at the Candle lighters tree lighting in Washington, DC. Devin and a weatherman on one of the Salt Lake City channels together led the “Light the Night” fund raisers for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. Team Devin was the top fundraising team.
To say that I am proud of this survivor would not even begin to cover how I feel. I thank God everyday that Devin was spared. I know that he will always carry a torch for all children with cancer. He makes us all so proud!
Devin’s mother, Alisa Woods Ross, is a Shawnee native who graduated from Shawnee High School in 1987. His grandparents, Larry and Gwen Woods, still reside in Shawnee.
This story is about a very special survivor! Devin Randall Ross was born on March 13, 1996, in Salt Lake City to Randall and Alisa (Woods) Ross. From the moment he was born, he was a beautiful little curly headed boy. He was always wise beyond his years, and curious to learn about everything around him.
Then, when he was seven, something was going very wrong. This healthy, happy little boy was suddenly sick way too much. Numerous visits to his pediatrician and referrals to specialists offered up the diagnosis of severe asthma. Then one night, Devin could not breathe when he was lying down. He was taken to the emergency room, where an X-ray was ordered. The ER doc came out and told his mom that they would like to Mediflight him to Primary Children’s Hospital. They had found a large mediastinal mass that had collapsed his lung and moved his heart out of place. So began Devin’s two-year journey into a world that no child should ever have to see.
The diagnosis the next day was Non-Hodgkins T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma Stage 3. For two years, Devin fought with everything in him to slay this beast within him. There were many times when things looked hopeless, but Devin never gave up.
He battled through blood clots in his brain, a one in 3 million reaction from asperiginase, one of the chemo treatments that his body could not tolerate. He spent countless hours in the hospital, with nausea so overwhelming that he could not tolerate to even smell food, much less eat it. RSV, which generally presents as a bad cold in older children, landed Devin back in the hospital fighting for every breath. On the trip to the hospital that night, Devin was very quiet, and his dad asked him “what are you thinking, Devi” and his answer broke everyone’s heart. He answered, “I was wondering if I was going to die tonight?” No child should have to think those thoughts!
Through the grace of God, prayers going up all over the world, a staff of doctors and nurses committed to getting these kids back into life, and a family there with Devin every inch of the way, Devin made it through! At his last day of chemo party at PCMC, Dr. Lemons, the head of oncology, told Devin he should be very proud of himself because he had just completed the most aggressive protocol of any cancer patient in the hospital. And proud he was!
The cancer road was supposed to end there, but unfortunately, children being treated for cancer during their formative years will have to deal with lots of curve balls for the rest of their lives. Devin’s philosophy on that “ I had cancer, it didn’t have me”!
Through a Web site created for families who have children with cancer called Caringbridge.org, Devin and his family have met many wonderful people all around the world. They have been fortunate enough to meet people from Scotland and Hungary who have come to visit them in the United States. Their hearts have broken many times, when some of their Caringbridge friends didn’t win their battles. They have participated in more than one balloon launching with messages for the newest little angels in heaven.
Devin was asked to speak to the West Jordan High School during a cancer awareness program. He received a standing ovation! He takes every opportunity he can to advocate for childhood cancer funding. He represented the state of Utah at the Candle lighters tree lighting in Washington, DC. Devin and a weatherman on one of the Salt Lake City channels together led the “Light the Night” fund raisers for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. Team Devin was the top fundraising team.
To say that I am proud of this survivor would not even begin to cover how I feel. I thank God everyday that Devin was spared. I know that he will always carry a torch for all children with cancer. He makes us all so proud!
Devin’s mother, Alisa Woods Ross, is a Shawnee native who graduated from Shawnee High School in 1987. His grandparents, Larry and Gwen Woods, still reside in Shawnee.
