Meet Emmett from Wausau

When Emmett was just 1 year old, the joyful little boy suddenly began to change, becoming pale and irritable. Seeking answers, his family took Emmett for blood work in his hometown. The results were every parent’s nightmare: Emmett had B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood. He was transferred to Children’s Wisconsin, where he had a port placed and started a two-and-a-half year treatment journey. For 9 months, Emmett had intensive treatments in the clinic nearly every week. He then had monthly clinic visits, lumbar punctures, was placed on steroids and had daily oral chemotherapy at home. In addition to his regular cancer treatment, Emmett has been hospitalized several times for fevers, infections and various viruses. Emmett also underwent genetic testing, which revealed a condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), causing tumors to grow along his nerves. Emmett sees genetic counselors and specialists at Children’s Wisconsin for annual brain MRIs and an ophthalmologist at Children’s Wisconsin Appleton Clinic for regular checkups. Emmett is enrolled in the Katie Beckett Medicaid program, which allows his family to focus on his care. This Medicaid coverage brings peace of mind that Emmett can receive the necessary care, even if his parents’ jobs change or they need to reduce their work hours to take care of him. Now 3 years old, Emmett is an animal and dinosaur lover with a resilient, go-with-the-flow attitude. He loves deeply and is focused on being strong, brave and healthy!

Please keep Medicaid strong for kids like Emmett!