This is a sad story. It’s also one of hope. It’s one of faith.

 

It’s a story whose ending has not yet been written, but two of the lead characters believe fully that ending is in more powerful hands. We’ll talk about two of those lead characters shortly. First, we want to re-introduce you to the main character who just happens to be the cutest four-year-old you may see anytime soon.

 

It’s been several years since Noah Haws was first introduced to the community at large in this very blog. At the time, the son of Ryan and Katie Haws was just six months old and had managed to battle through the discovery of a pre-cancerous mass at the age of just four months.

 

The discovery led to the removal of the entire kidney at that so very young age. While the surgery was a success, little Noah’s battle – so sadly – was not over. Additional issues led to an ultrasound on Noah’s remaining kidney and 11 more masses were found.

 

Thanks to aggressive treatment with chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, the remaining kidney was saved. Noah Haws returned home to Bridgeport and the entire family of five was complete and signs of normalcy returned.

 

Things went south in May of last year. During a regular scan, doctors noticed a growth on his kidney. The cancer had returned. After chemotherapy was done, surgery was completed to remove half of his remaining kidney to try and remove the cancer for good.

 

Of course, with just half a kidney remaining, little Noah Haws was in a precarious situation. The scans continued as anything further at that point on the surgical front would be critical. The Haws family took the situation in stride and lived life the best they could – not trying to look over their shoulders at what may happen – by looking forward.

 

For a while, the normalcy returned.  Unfortunately, the cancer returned as well.

 

Following a clean scan that took place after Noah’s last chemotherapy back in October, there was a routine x-ray done by the family’s pulmonologist. The x-ray revealed nine concerning spots that led to a PET scan and biopsy.

 

The results were devastating. The cancer metastasized to his lungs and abdomen above his remaining kidney. A total of 12 to 15 tumors in the lungs and a pair of tumors in the abdomen.

 

In February, little Noah began more chemotherapy at WVU Children’s in Morgantown. It’s part of a course of chemotherapy aimed at reversing the course.

 

“He’s home now as part of the rounds of chemotherapy,” said Noah’s father Ryan. “He seemed to handle it pretty well. Once this is done, we’ll have to do more scans and then we’ll have to make some decisions.”

 

The decisions will likely be a tough one. As Noah’s mother Katie wrote on Facebook, this is the fourth reoccurrence of the cancer and “quite aggressive. It is definitely a tricky situation.”

 

It’s here where the story may remain sad, but where hope and faith join the stage. It’s here where you can join the stage with others already grasping the Haws’ family in their collective arms. If praying is your thing, they could use it. If sending good vibes is what you do, that would help as well. And know they appreciate it.

 

“The support not only means a lot, but it makes a difference. Knowing so many people are praying for Noah provides some much-needed comfort,” Ryan said. “We feel the support and we know the support and the prayers help Noah.”

 

Most of those reading this blog have children or nieces and nephews or friends that have children where they couldn’t fathom watching those youngsters going through what the Haws family is going through with Noah. It would try their souls and test their faith.

 

Ryan and Katie Haws have clean souls. They have passed the faith test.

 

“For us it’s faith that gets us through this and, honestly, we wouldn’t know how to get through this any other way,” said Haws. “What’s meant to happen will happen. Healing will happen if that’s God’s will and if it doesn’t, we must understand God’s will.

 

“We could break down and say we’re done with this situation, but having faith lets us know that this will work out somehow and, in some way,” Ryan continued. “We’ll get through this by relying on the faith we have in God’s will and knowing, despite everything, we’re still blessed because when you’re at the hospital you hear and see things and recognize what others are going through; they have it worse. Sometimes it’s a reminder to be grateful, and we are grateful for our blessings.”

 

When and how this story ends – soon or decades into the future – remains an unknown. What I do know is the ending will be punctuated in faith. That I’m certain of.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Noah Haws receiving treatment, while the entire family is shown in the second photo. In the bottomo photo, Katie Haws is shown with Noah in October of 2019 after finishing off what they were hoping was the final round of chemotherapy. All photos from The Adventure of Noah Haws Facebook page.