Collin’s Legacy
Our Collin was a special little guy from the moment he was born. There was just something about him—about how he loved life and how he loved and cared for everyone around him. Collin made the lives of the people whose paths he crossed better. What made Collin stand out among everyone was his faith. He had a deep love for Jesus and a personal relationship with God that was above all else in his life. That relationship with our Heavenly Father not only saved Collin but also brought others to God—some for the first time, and others, it brought back to God.
Collin’s journey with medulloblastoma, a common brain tumor, was filled with many complications. He navigated several of the ‘rare’ issues that arose with his type of brain tumor. Throughout the battle, though, Collin never gave up hope in God. Over the course of 2 years, 8 months, and 3 days, Collin had many interactions with his faith. His faith is what showed everyone how special God is.
During the summer of 2019, Collin was in remission—tumor-free. His tumor had the MYC-N amplification, so we knew the beast of medulloblastoma would resurface at some point. It was during those carefree, warm months that my husband and I learned about ‘Gift From A Child.’ As soon as we read how the Swifty Foundation empowers research through tissue donation, we knew it was the right path for us. It gave meaning to the unthinkable future our family faced. Gift From A Child brought light to our hearts with the hope that Collin’s tumor could be a part of finding a cure for this awful disease.
We are so thankful that we reached out to the Swifty Foundation at a time when our minds and hearts were clear. The process to register was very simple, and the Gift From A Child team made everything easy for us, for Collin, for our medical team, and for the funeral home. When Collin passed away, the process to donate his tumor was effortless for us. All it took was a phone call to the foundation by our designated family member. The Gift From A Child team was very respectful, and we were kept updated through the funeral home on how Collin’s donation was progressing. We are so proud of Collin’s donation and would encourage any family to consider this as part of their path to healing after losing their battle with a pediatric brain tumor.
Every year, on Collin’s birthday, we reach out to the Swifty Foundation and Gift From A Child to check up on Collin’s tumor donation. They can pass along updates on where his tissues are and if they are being used in any research studies.
It’s a gift to us, from Collin, to know that a part of him is still on this earthly world, doing the same good for others that he did before he passed away. Our entire family is so grateful for the opportunity to continue to share Collin, and to continue to allow Collin to make other people’s lives better.
