Inaugural Award Ceremony
2016 James Conner Courage Award Recipient
James Conner accepts the newly named "James Connor Courage Award."
2018 James Conner Courage Award Recipient: Jimmy Hernandez
2017 James Conner Courage Award Recipient: Jimmy Hernandez
Jimmy Hernandez Valencia
B cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia, 2013
Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplant, 2016
Jimmy Hernandez was first diagnosed with cancer following his high school graduation in 2013. At the urging of his girlfriend and her mother, Jimmy went to the emergency room and was immediately taken by ambulance to UPMC Shadyside Hospital. For two months, Jimmy underwent intensive chemotherapy treatment, while his family kept a constant vigil at his bedside.
Jimmy’s leukemia returned in 2016 almost three years to the date of his initial diagnosis. This time, a stem cell transplant was needed to replace his unhealthy cancerous cells with healthy, blood-forming cells from a donor. The best results involve someone with a 100 percent match. But recent medical advances have shown that a 50 percent match or a haploidentical donor can be used. That donor is usually a parent or in some cases a sibling.
Jimmy’s dad, Mel Hernandez, was that match.
Dr. Rafic Farah, a medical oncologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, specializes in stem cell transplants. Jimmy became the first UPMC Hillman Cancer Center patient to undergo the High-Intensity Myeloablative Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplant. It was a success and Jimmy remains in remission!
Today, Jimmy is engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Alexandra Habers, and Jimmy now works for a UPMC pediatric practice as a multi-lingual patient services representative.
The nomination of Jimmy Hernandez Valencia for the 2018 James Conner Courage Award came from Dr. Rafic Farah who thought his continuous positive attitude, supportive family, and the strength he exhibited in his long fight with cancer made him the perfect recipient.
2017 James Conner Courage Award Recipient: Darran Dunlap
2017 James Conner Courage Award Recipient: Darran Dunlap
Darran Dunlap, Leukemia Survivor
Darran was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) on November 7, 2016. She complained of leg pain a few days prior and after a night of uncontrolled leg pain, her family took her to the Emergency Department on November 6. She showed no other symptoms and was laughing, playing and acting like a normal five-year-old right up until her diagnosis. It was only a few hours later that her family received the initial diagnosis - Leukemia.
Darran was admitted to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh that day and scheduled for tests in the morning to confirm the diagnosis. Since then life has been such a whirlwind.
That was all about a year and a half ago (will be current in May 2018) and it has been a steady stream of treatments, pills, hospital stays and clinic visits. But all the while Darran's family has remained positive — having stayed the course they hope to have her leukemia eradicated in March of 2018 with a final chemo treatment.
Darran is currently pushing through first grade with her twin brother, Declan and has missed very few days, sometimes getting tough treatment in the morning and then heading to school for the afternoon. Other times she fights through fatigue, nausea, and pain just to grit through the school day — all the while she hasn't fallen behind, which is a true testament to her toughness.
The day she was diagnosed, Darran's father called Dr. Stanley Marks for guidance and he still remembers what Dr. Marks told him. He said, "It isn't going to be easy. It's going to be a long, tough road, but she can get there. She can beat it but there won't always be good days."
They haven't. Some have been downright hell... but through all of it, Darran, her twin brother Declan, and parents Colin and Raina have remained confident that this will all make them stronger. And they have remained confident this cancer will be defeated in March. With the help of so many, this will be defeated.