Christmas Comes Early for a Little Boy Fighting Cancer
Five-year-old Nathan Norman has been battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer since 2009 - when he was just a year old.
The little boy was originally diagnosed with brain cancer, but now has a tumor in his spine as well. He has undergone surgery and chemotherapy treatments, but his latest medical scan showed that the cancer was growing again... and fast.
As Nathan begins let another round of chemo in a desparate effort to stabilize his tumors, he had a single request for his mom and dad.
"Nathan has asked when we got home if we would put up our Christmas tree and our lights. He thought that would make him feel better cause he didn't feel good," his mom Dawn told WSET.
"You think ... you know what? Does it matter if people think we are crazy? Does it matter?" said his dad, Bobby Norman. "Absolutely not. If this is his last Christmas and he can spend it celebrating for four months, absolutely."
So the Norman family put up a Christmas tree and lights.
And then so did the rest of the neighborhood. Almost two months before Christmas, a community joined together to give a little boy his wish.
"We have started having friends that put up their trees and outside lights and sending pictures to us," Dawn said. "Some people have designated their tree as being Nathan's tree."
But it didn't stop there. Christmas cards - 20 or 30 every day - are flooding in from around the country, sent by people who heard his story and want to share their love.
(The Norman family)
The support has given the Normans the faith to face what lies ahead.
"When you ask Nathan are you scared he'll say, ‘No, God is with me.' His sister asked him, 'Nathan are you scared you might got see Jesus soon?' As a mom I'm saying no. No one is going to see Jesus. Everybody is staying here. We'll see Jesus when we are old," Dawn said. "But Nathan said no he is not scared to see Jesus he would just miss Mommy and Daddy."
She added,
"We are enjoying what we have and what we know right now and what we have today is Christmas on September 26, 2012."
You can send Christmas cards to:
Nathan Norman
81 Dunivan Drive
Rustburg, VA 24588
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