Brave Like Beckham

We are back for our second year @ Stroll for Strong!

Our first stroll was so memorable (weather aside) due to the fact that so many family, friends, and our 2nd Floor Surgical / Flaum Eye Care team joined us! We were blown away by the level of support that showed up that morning, braving the elements to raise funds for the Golisano Hematology & Oncology Department.

We sincerely hope you join us on May 30th this year - another day of celebration. This walk will take place right after Beckham's 4th (!) birthday. It will also mark our TWO year milestone of the care he has received for his left eye tumor, including 23 anesthesia events and three intraarterial chemotherapy procedures. We have been able to do 100% of his treatments here in Rochester thanks to Flaum, Strong, and Golisano Children's. 

A backstory.... 

April 8th 2024 - Our son woke up with what seemed like a grain of sand in his left eye. We had just returned from vacation, where our (then) one-year-old had seen the ocean for the first time and spent hours playing in the sand.

That tiny ?grain of sand? lingered just long enough to lead us to a specialist.

It turned out to be completely unrelated to his diagnosis?but it was, without a doubt, a nudge from God. A push to seek care for a cancer that is aggressive, fast-growing, and silent - a grade c retinoblastoma in his left eye.

The next decision was both our hardest and our best?we chose to stay in Rochester for Beckham?s care. Here, he received intra-arterial chemotherapy, laser therapy, and countless eye examinations under anesthesia.

Beckham became the first to undergo retinoblastoma treatment in Rochester, sparking the formation of a highly skilled, multi-departmental team across Flaum Eye Institute, Golisano Children's Hospital, Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, and Strong Memorial Hospital (2nd floor surgical & IR). Their passion for treating children with retinoblastoma is fueling the growth of this life-saving program.

Thanks to this incredible team, Beckham?s treatments are going well. We were given the miracle of early detection, and now, we are committed to advocating for other children. Our hope is that families facing retinoblastoma will find their way to Rochester during their darkest chapters. For each chemotherapy procedure, Beckham was admitted to 7South and their team is exceptional. All of our anesthesiologists have been from the pediatric team on the 4th floor at GCH. He couldn't be in better hands.

Thank you, Golisano Children Hospital!

Please join us on the morning of May 30th to support our amazing children's hospital! We will be celebrating making it through TWO years of retinoblastoma treatments, and we couldn't have done that without our village! 

- The Smiths