(This page is essentially unchanged from when it was James' "Home Page" at The Miracle Kids Site and is used by permission. One day I'll get around to reworking this page, but for now I wish to keep it up as-is as a testimony to God's work in the life of this incredible kid who for eight years I had the privilege of calling my son. May you be blessed as you read his story.)

James Edward Webb

James Edward Webb was born August 10, 1992 in Gainesville, Florida. His parents are Mike and Cindy Webb. He is an active and bright boy, who loves trains with a passion; he also likes gardening, fishing, Winnie the Pooh, Thomas the Tank Engine, and the characters from Richard Scarry's BusyTown books. He's also a big fan of children's songwriter and singer Anna Moo (who, coincidentally, was a high school classmate of Mike's) and comic advertising and movie actor Jim Varney's character Ernest P. Worrell
(knowhutimean?).

On his second birthday the family moved to Leesburg, Florida, which they made their home for the next several years. Seven months later, on March 20, 1995, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocetic Leukemia. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville, and was in remission for a year and a half.

During October 1996, he and his parents went on "a big train ride" (his own words) sponsored by the Children's Wish Foundation. James had the time of his life. In December, it was determined his cancer had relapsed, mutated to Acute Myeloid Leukemia (an uncommon type of relapse) and he underwent further chemo and radiation to get him back into remission.

The following February, he underwent a bone marrow transplant from umbilical cord blood. The "graft" was slow to take, and between that and a bad case of acute Graft-vs.-Host disease (GVHD), James stayed in Shands for 2-1/2 months. He and Cindy stayed in Gainesville until August (making it home just before his birthday) while his new blood system built up. 1997 was a LONG year.

James is continuing on the slow mend from his BMT, mostly dealing with chronic GVHD in the skin. He can get out and about, but has to wear a germ mask in groups of over 5 people; between the GVHD and the treatment to keep it under control, his immune system is suppressed and he is susceptible to infection. One thing that is not suppressed is his spirit! He remains an active and happy kid at 5-1/2, three years after beginning this journey.

James is still in remission, and we are thankful to God for that. We are also thankful to Him for the many people who have stood by us and supported us in helping us get to this point. We still have a long way to go, but hopefully the biggest hurdles are past.

Status

Updated: October 11, 2000
Edited: March 22, 2005

James relapsed for a second time in the fall of 1999 (two months after the GVHD finally resolved) and never fully recovered due to a fungal infection. That did not, however, prevent him from having a wonderful time at the special camp sponsored by the Boggy Creek Gang.

James relapsed for the third and final time in the fall of 2000. James lost his battle for life in this world at 10:50 am on October 11, 2000. He is now with his Heavenly Father, eternally healed and cheering us on as part of that "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) as we continue to fight the good fight of faith.