Skip to main content
Clear icon
27º

’It is always a fight’: 9-year-old Galax boy with leukemia may need bone marrow transplant

Mighty Max is being treated for leukemia a second time

Mighty Max (Emily Brown)

GALAX, Va. – Mighty Max will need mighty strength as he faces his latest battle. His medical team now suggests he may need a cell/bone marrow transplant.

“It is always a fight,” said his mom when describing the news. However, Emily Brown, Max’s mom, says he is always ready for a fight. “He is oblivious to it all. He’s his normal self.”

Recommended Videos



The 9-year-old Galax boy is being treated for leukemia a second time. He receives treatment at a Winston Salem, North Carolina hospital.

“His marrow has not been retrained from the several years of chemo, so he still has cancer in his blood. They are going a different route to see if they can still rewire his marrow. They said the preparation for it would be torturous. So, they’re looking at [CAR T-cell] therapy, which is where they remove his immune system cells and retain those,” said Brown.

Max will receive treatment at Duke University Hospital or St. Jude’s for this procedure. His family is waiting on the paperwork process to be finalized before he receives placement.

Hundreds of strangers have sent Mighty Max cards of encouragement. He calls them his “fan mail.” They decorate his hospital room.

Click here for more information on where you can send him “fan mail.”


Loading...
About the Author
McKinley Strother headshot

McKinley Strother joined the WSLS 10 News team in June 2020. He anchors 10 News at 6 and 11 on Saturdays and Sundays and you'll also catch him reporting during the week.