MACON, Ga. — According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2024 9,620 children from birth to 14 years old will be diagnosed with cancer.
In Central Georgia Jay's Hope is an organization that helps children with cancer and their families to find hope.
Ashely and Josh Massengale learned their son Lucas had cancer in July of 2022.
"He started feeling very tired, lethargic, sleeping all the time," he said. "So we took him to the doctor and he tested negative for flu and COVID and they said, bring him back if he's not any better. And that's when we took him back. It was July 5 of that, of that year. They said, 'Well, it looks like it's leukemia.'"
Ashley Massengale says out of the two years of his battle, hearing his diagnosis was the worst part.
"Out of anything, it was like, 'How do we stay standing and walk out of here knowing that he might not be okay?'" she said.
Josh Massengale says being okay came from the support the family received from their loved ones and Jay's Hope.
"Jay's Hope out of Macon, they've worked with families with kids with illnesses, mostly cancer. And I can't say enough good things about Cindy Gaskins and her group," he said. "They came into the hospital and they brought us lunch, they brought him goodies and toys and they have been just overwhelmingly good to us."
Cindy Gaskins says she started Jay's Hope 18 years ago as a way to honor her son going through cancer, but also to help other families.
"I was a social worker before I had babies, and sitting in the waiting rooms in St. Jude's I met a lot of families that did not have the type of support that my family had been blessed with back here in Macon," Gaskins said. "And being a Christian, we knew that there was a purpose in what we were going through."
Now, 18 years later, Jay's Hope has helped many children and some of them have children they bring back to see her, she says.
"Our mission statement is we provide support through emotional support. We're a face of experience, spiritual support. We're a Christian organization," she said. "We provide social support where we do once a month events for our families where we can get the kiddos together and do something fun away from the hospital."
Gaskins says they provide educational support and financial aid to families of children with cancer. She's gotten to know all the children and is thankful for families like the Massengales who allow her into their lives.
Jay's Hope has two fundraisers coming up.
Their Hawgs for Hope ride is on Oct. 5. Gaskins says this is where people pay to ride their motorcycles and raise money for the kids.
The Trek or Treat Road Race will take place on Oct. 25. It will feature a 5K, a sprint race and for the children a candy mile.
Gaskin says they are always looking for more volunteers.