Bradley Arnold is a sweet, fun-loving 10-year-old boy who loves fishing, farming and searching for treasures with a metal detector. But five years ago, unlike other kids his age, Bradley was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
“It just appeared all of the sudden,” said Mandy Arnold, who noticed a bulge under her son’s shirt. She knew something wasn’t right, so she took Bradley to an emergency room. After four hours, they were sent home with a diagnosis of severe constipation.
But nothing changed overnight – the bulge was still there. That day, they were lucky enough to get an appointment with his pediatrician who ordered several tests.
Mandy recalls the look on the doctor’s face and knew right away something was wrong. “Our world turned upside down when I heard the doctor say she was confident it was kidney cancer.”
They went straight to a regional hospital, where they went through a in-depth series of questions and tests. That night, Bradley had an ultrasound, showing an 8-inch tumor, weighting more the three pounds. “It was the size of a cantaloupe – I couldn’t believe it got so big, so fast,” said Mandy. Bradley was scheduled for surgery the next morning to have his left kidney and a Wilms tumor removed.
“I never thought I would have a child with cancer,” said Mandy. “It’s just not our nature to think of worst case scenarios.”
Thankfully, doctors were able to remove the entire tumor – it had not spread to other parts of Bradley’s body. Following surgery, Bradley required blood and platelet transfusions to help his body recover and heal.
Every Friday for the next 19 weeks, Bradley had chemotherapy treatments. “He never complained – he blew me away with how resilient he was,” Mandy said.
Witnessing her son’s bravery and cheerful outlook through his cancer journey, brought a new perspective to Mandy. “I’m a changed person – our family all went through this together – and we look at life differently now.”
“When your struck with a nightmare, the last thing you want to do is to worry about what you need,” said Mandy. “We’re so grateful the blood that Bradley needed was available when he needed it most.”
It wasn’t the first time the Arnold family was helped by the generosity of blood donors. Mandy needed transfusions after complications when her first and third children were born.
Mandy now serves as a Red Cross blood program volunteer leader with the Minnesota and Dakotas Red Cross Region. To celebrate Bradley’s five-year cancer free milestone and to raise awareness of the need for blood products to be readily available for cancer patients, the Arnold family hosted a blood drive on Monday, June 5, 2023. Family, friends and the community came together and rolled up a sleeve to honor Bradley. Forty nine blood donations were made in honor of this brave cancer warrior.
You can help patients like Bradley! Schedule a blood donation today to help ensure lifesaving blood products are available whenever and wherever they are needed most. Visit redcross.org/mndaks to make an appointment or for more information.
American Red Cross Minnesota and Dakotas Region 