Caleb Hammond is just 11-years-old and lives in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He's a very brave little boy who, for the last 18 months, has been fighting for his life.
In late January 2017, Caleb was sick and doctors just thought it was a virus. But in February, Caleb was diagnosed with B cell ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia). He was just 9-years-old when he was diagnosed.
In March 2017, after undergoing chemo, things got so bad that Caleb was in a medically induced coma, his heart was failing, he was on dialysis and doctors told his parents to prepare for the worst.
But then, Celeb fought back, came out of the coma, had to learn to eat, write and walk again.
Despite his progress, doctors said that a bone marrow transplant was their only hope to hopefully push the cancer into remission.
His family was traveling to different cancer centers across the country, so they started a GoFundMe page to help out with expenses while they found the right doctors for Caleb.
In January 2018, Caleb had the bone marrow transplant in January 2018 and was doing well, and the family was hopeful.
But in May, his cancer came back, and this time, it wasn't responding to treatment.
That's when his parents had to make a heartbreaking decision.
His uncle, Chris Playle told the Des Moines Register:
"There were some other options left, but they were going to make him sick and do harm to his body. They decided to call it quits, and come home and be a kid and do the things he hasn’t been able to do the last year and a half."
So about a month ago, Caleb left the hospital and went home and despite what he is about to face, his spirits are high and he is having fun doing all the things he couldn't do while he was in the hospital. His family says they are enjoying every moment with him.
Then, Caleb asked for something.
Racing stickers.
Caleb is a huge racing fan and he wanted people to send him racing stickers, a LOT of them.
Why?
His dream is to completely cover his casket with them after he dies.
(If you are in tears reading this story right now, just know that we are too.)
Well, Caleb is getting stickers... a LOT of them, and one organization is doing something really special for Caleb.
According to the Des Moines Register:
"We noticed Caleb looking for stickers to cover his casket. Why do you want stickers? What’s going on?" said Jared Foster, board president and co-founder of Team Kids With Cancer Racing 46-7. "The board decided we need to do something and we need to get him to race."
Foster said Caleb is going to to get the whole gambit. From an honorary license to a fire suit, Caleb will drive a six-lap heat race and get a salute stop to welcome him into the racing community.
This is one brave little boy.
If you have any racing stickers for Caleb, you can send them to him at this address:
Caleb Hammond
314 North J Street
Oskaloosa, IA 52577
You can also help the family with expenses by going to their GoFundMe page.