Mom celebrates five-year-old son being cancer-free

ROCHESTER, N.Y.- On National Cancer Survivor’s Day, Landen Gilmer’s mom is celebrating her son being cancer-free for four years.

In November 2018, Sheena Gilmer was told by doctors that her eight-month-old son Landen had stage three Neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that develops in nerve tissue.

“He started to get emotional himself, and I was like what’s wrong? And he was like well, we found a mass in his stomach,” Gilmer said.

After being born premature, Landen Gilmer had already fought one battle and won.

On Sunday, Landen celebrated overcoming another battle.

“They took a piece of skin from the area and biopsy and they found out what type it was, what they needed to do, and the steps going further,” Gilmer said.

According to Sheena, doctors at Strong Hospital immediately referred her son to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.

“He wasn’t afraid to take the shots. It was like he knew what was going on,” Gilmer said.

On this year’s National Cancer Survivor’s Day, Landen is four years cancer-free and grateful for the work of doctors and nurses across New York.

A story of survival that Sheena wants to share with all parents going through a similar situation.

“I would tell that person to have faith. Have faith in God and believe he is going to see you through, everything is in his hands. Eeven if the doctors say there is nothing we can do, God has the last say so in everything,” Gilmer said.