The Zane Bracelet

Zane Chambers is the two-year-old, son of Tahjhira Jackson and Kraig Chambers. Zane is a happy, goofy, loving, super independent and active toddler! He brings joy in every room he enters and provides endless amounts of giggles and love. 

From family game nights to trampoline parks, as long as they’re together, they have fun. Zane loves cars and race tracks, coloring, balls, bubbles and blocks. If it’s spending time outside or having fun running around, that “Zane smile” will brighten any space. 

On January 3rd, 2023 what was supposed to be a wellness appointment, turned into one of the most confusing and difficult days of Kraig and Tahjhira’s life. Instead of going home after his well visit, Zane was rushed to CHOP (The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s) Emergency Room Department. At first, Zane was admitted for dehydration and nausea. During an ultrasound of the stomach area, a tumor was located on Zane’s adrenal gland. He was diagnosed with cancer at only 19 months old.

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today,” Tahjhira shared with us. "Receiving a cancer diagnosis for your child can be one of the hardest things you could ever face in life." She wants other families to know, “do not let the diagnosis consume you as it is just that “a diagnosis. Your child and your family can conquer this! Take life day by day with little to no expectations. For us the diagnosis was sudden, unexpected and life changing, however Zane shows us on a daily basis to keep hope and faith alive as he amazes us everyday with his constant strength and will to fight.” 

That day, Zane was diagnosed with High-Risk Neuroblastoma. 

According to CHOP, “Neuroblastoma is a tumor of nerve tissue that develops in infants and children and can occur in many areas of the body. It develops from the tissues that form the sympathetic nervous system (which controls body functions such as heart rate and blood pressure, digestion and levels of certain hormones). It most commonly begins in the abdomen in the tissues of the adrenal gland, but it may also occur in other areas. Neuroblastoma can spread to the lymph nodes, liver, bones and bone marrow.” https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/neuroblastoma 

Zane’s entire family has been wrapping their love and support around him, especially during the early stages of treatment when Zane was in-patient. During the initial diagnosis Zane was in-patient for a week which, when living at the hospital can seem like months.

Unfortunately, like 50% of all pediatric cancer families, Tahjhira immediately had to stop working to care for Zane full time, she was not employed long enough to qualify for FMLA, and her job did not have the flexibility to allow her to work remotely. Kraig’s job requires many hours of travel anywhere in the Northeast, and he has not been picking up work so he can be close to Zane. Their income was immediately cut in half.

Before this diagnosis, Zane was a normal baby. He smiled, laughed and ran around. Now, because of the intense regime of harsh treatments (many that have been around for over 70 years and also used on adults!) he can’t be as active. Zane’s side effects from treatment are overwhelming. They have to give him up to five medications daily. 

While he still has many months of treatment to go, he is thriving because of all the love and support! With many hospital stays in the past and future Zane is happy to be home when he can. The therapy of just being home, alleviates stress and brings joy to both Zane and the rest of the family. Zane has a 12 year older sister that he loves to spend time with when he is home. That’s what we hope for all families: moments of joy. 

Zane will be in treatment for the next two years. 

For more information, please visit: Madelyn James Pediatric Cancer Foundation