survival rate

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Josiah Dover has been fighting cancer for seven straight months.  Josiah Dover / St. Jude PatientLike I have to lay down a lot and a lot of times like I have to have something warm to put on my back right here.   The 8 year old has ALL  ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA.   Some days are better than others.While his brothers play, Josiah just watches without the energy to join in.Josiah says:    These days when I'm taking these steroids.. not so good. Jennifer Dover / Josiah's mom I think I noticed first that his stomach was distended.. and it wasn't like a little boy who gained weight... it was firm ...At the time, the family was in Macedonia working as missionaries.  That was last spring, but doctors couldn't figure out what was making him sick.     Mom says: He started saying he was tired a lot which is unusual.. It was pretty outside and he didn't want to go outside and play... Charlie Dover / Dad In mid July when things weren't resolving.. the organization then sent us to Budapest where our central medical care is done...    There more tests... doctors thought Josiah may have a genetic disorder, enlarged organs, an infectious disease... The possibilities endless.  So, they came home to Tennessee for answers.   Dad says:  As soon as they opened him up and saw his liver.. that's when they knew that's what it was.    A-L-L  is a cancer of the white blood cells.Dad:  It's a pretty tough situation.. uh.. it's uh...  it's hard  but...Mom: It's words you don't think you'll ever hear or at least you hope you'll never hear.. but I think for us.. just knowing.. gave us peace because we're like okay.. now we know what it is.. let's fight it..  And they have some of the best doctors and researchers fighting alongside them at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.    Dad:  Once the diagnosis was made.. we felt this is where we needed to be.Stacy Case says:  St Jude is one of the few children's hospitals in the world where all the research that goes on here in these labs is completely translational.. they call it bench to bedside care where whatever new discoveries are made can be put to use right away saving children's lives.    Which explains why research here has pushed the survival rate fro Josiah's type of cancer from 4 percent in 1962 when the hospital opened up to 94 percent today.   Josiah is looking forward to feeling good again. There's lots he wants to do.Josiah:  I like soccer and I like to ride 4 wheelersLooking back now, his parents say they see prophecy in his name.  At the time, they didn't know why they chose the name Josiah.  Now they do!    Mom says: It means Jehovah heals which I think it is amazing because God is healing him and now it seems so fitting for him and I think it means a lot to him now.