Nolan’s Grateful Gathering

For many, Thanksgiving is a time to gather with loved ones and celebrate gratitude. For the McCarthy family, this day holds a deeper meaning.  

Nolan is known for his kindness, infectious smile, and love for sports. But in the fall of 2022, he started experiencing severe leg pain. At first, doctors thought it was a sports injury or even just growing pains. An MRI in early November showed nothing out of the ordinary and after trips to the pediatrician and a sports medicine doctor Nolan was cleared. As the pain got worse, his parents knew something was not right.  

On Thanksgiving Day 2022, the McCarthy family checked into Lurie Children’s and received life-changing news. A scan revealed a large tumor in Nolan’s abdomen/pelvis area, right above the leg that had been hurting, and at just 11 years old he was diagnosed with stage three Rhabdomyosarcoma. For the next year, Nolan and his world-class team battled through treatment that consisted of 42 weeks of chemo, 8 weeks of radiation and 8 blood transfusions.    

“During his year-long cancer treatment, our family was touched by so many doctors, nurses, therapists, volunteers and other cancer families, who all made our darkest days much more bearable,” said Nolan’s mom, Kate. “Even though none of us knew where our journey would lead, the team at Lurie Children’s was there to help us put one foot in front of the other.” 

Team McCarthy Giving Back During the Holidays 

While the McCarthy family’s journey was filled with many ups and downs, something that remained constant was the support from their community, friends, and family. Overwhelmed with the generosity of meals, prayers, gifts, and childcare, the family knew they wanted to give back as they reflected on everything that made them feel so grateful. 

“Having received his diagnosis on Thanksgiving Day 2022, and then having Nolan ring the bell on November 6th, 2023, we felt that November was the perfect time to host Nolan's Grateful Gathering,” said Kate. 

The family hosted a community dinner in honor of Nolan’s remarkable and courageous fight. Friends, family, Nolan’s classmates, Lurie Children’s nurses and doctors all came together to celebrate Nolan’s treatment. In lieu of gifts, the family set up a community fundraising web page for guests to donate. During his first year post-treatment, Nolan and his family raised over $25K for Lurie Children's. 

Every November, the family honors Nolan’s journey with ongoing fundraising by supporting other childhood cancer warriors who are fighting to beat pediatric cancer like Nolan’s 4-year-old cousin, Reagan McCarthy, who was diagnosed with Leukemia this October. The family is proud to give back to the hospital that helped save his life. Every holiday season, the family continues to raise money for cancer research, toys, activities, and necessary supplies hoping to make other sick kid's hospital stay during the holidays more enjoyable.  

“It is hard to describe to an outsider because it should be the darkest days of your life when your child has cancer, but we found so much comfort and light at Lurie Children’s,” said Kate. 

If you are interested in making a meaningful impact like the McCarthy family, visit our website to learn how you can start your own fundraiser.  

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