One year ago, life changed without warning for the Branson family of Robertsdale, Alabama. What began as a 10-year-old boy’s complaint of stomach pain has become a year-long battle against an aggressive form of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Today, 11-year-old Branson Blevins remains in a hospital in Rome, Italy, where he is preparing for a bone marrow transplant that doctors hope will keep the disease from returning.

As the family marked the one-year point since the diagnosis, Branson’s mother, Nichole Branson, shared a detailed reflection on the day their lives were transformed.

According to Nichole, the first signs of trouble appeared on August 15, 2024 — just a week after the school year began — when she received an urgent call from the school nurse reporting that Branson was experiencing severe stomach pain. She immediately left work, unaware that it would be the last time she walked out of her workplace before her family’s life shifted entirely.

After an examination at an urgent care facility, doctors directed them to the emergency room due to significant swelling in Branson’s spleen and liver. Though the family did not yet know the severity of the situation, medical staff appeared concerned. Hours later, while Nichole was at home with their younger children, she received a call from an emergency room physician delivering the news: doctors suspected leukemia, and the family needed to travel directly to USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Mobile.

The following morning, specialists identified Branson’s condition as T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia — the more aggressive form of the disease. Adding to the difficulty, clinicians informed the family that Branson had a rare subtype they had not previously encountered. Chemotherapy began immediately.

Nichole described the early days as overwhelming, with little time to process what was happening. The family then faced the painful challenge of explaining the diagnosis to Branson’s siblings, who were too young to fully understand the gravity of the situation.

Over the past year, the Bransons have endured a demanding medical journey that included frequent hospital admissions, continuous treatment, and long periods of separation from their other children. Nichole recounted a year defined by procedures, transfusions, and the constant fear of setbacks. She emphasized the emotional and physical toll that childhood cancer places on families, calling it unpredictable and life-altering.

Despite the challenges, she highlighted Branson’s extraordinary resilience, describing him as a child who faced every stage of treatment with determination far beyond his years. The family has relied heavily on their faith, and they continue to hope for the day they can say he is fully healed.

As Branson prepares for his upcoming bone marrow transplant, the family marks this one-year anniversary not as an endpoint, but as a moment to acknowledge the progress, the struggle, and the unwavering commitment to his recovery. They also extend their message to other families facing similar battles and remember the children who never had the chance to overcome the disease.

The Bransons say they remain focused, united, and determined — still fighting, still hoping, and still believing in Branson’s full recovery.