Meet 2025 Local Champion “ToughGuyRy”

Just one day after his fifth birthday, Ryan became very sick and ended up at the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Emergency Center. While there, Ryan’s mom and dad heard the word no parent wants to hear – “cancer.” Ryan was diagnosed with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia, with a very rare genetic mutation found in only 1% of patients, adult and pediatric, across the country each year.

Just one day after his fifth birthday, Ryan became very sick and ended up at the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Emergency Center. While there, Ryan’s mom and dad heard the word no parent wants to hear – “cancer.” Ryan was diagnosed with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia, with a very rare genetic mutation found in only 1% of patients, adult and pediatric, across the country each year.

As part of his treatment plan, Ryan enrolled in a philanthropy-funded clinical research trial and achieved technical remission. However, while remission is a significant milestone, Ryan’s battle is far from over.

Despite his challenges, Ryan maintains his love for superheroes, swimming with his sisters, and building blocks. Since his diagnosis, he has marked several milestones, including his seventh birthday, enduring eight cycles of chemotherapy, and undergoing a bone marrow transplant. With the support of his exceptional medical team at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Ryan has overcome numerous post-transplant complications.

Currently, Ryan is battling graft vs. host disease in his lung and requires anti-rejection medications to prevent his body from attacking the transplanted healthy cells in his bone marrow. He faces three more years of treatment before he can be considered a “pediatric cancer survivor” at the age of 10.

The groundbreaking work of pediatric oncology researchers has not only enhanced chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation procedures but has also enabled Ryan to participate in trials aimed at improving his body’s response to cancer treatments. Thanks to ongoing research, Ryan’s family’s experience offers hope and encouragement to others facing similar challenges.