Community comes together for 11-year-old cancer patient
Eleven-year-old Braxton Obrian (wearing face mask) is battling neuroblastoma cancer. Several local fundraisers have been created to help the family with medical expenses.
By Lilly Adkins
BSN Associate Editor
LOUISA — While a Lawrence County couple, Edsel and Mariah Obrian, are currently at UK Children’s Hospital in Lexington with their 11-year-old son, Braxton, who is battling his second round of cancer, local businesses are conducting fundraisers to help them with medical costs.
Rebel River Outfitters is hosting a King of the River Catfish Tournament April 16-18 at 5 p.m. Participants can fish anywhere on the Tug River, Levisa River or the Big Sandy River from a boat, a kayak or on the bank.
According to the release posted on Facebook, the tournament will be most inches of fish caught, and they will also have a big fish payout.
Entry fee is $20 and a $5 big fish fee, but the winner gets 75 percent payback on the entry fee while the big fish gets the entire pot.
The other 25 percent will be donated to Braxton Obrian, along with 50 percent of the money generated from Kayak rentals that week.
A donation jar for the boy is also set up if anyone wants to donate money at Rebel River Outfitters.
Rebel River Outfitters also said that anyone who would like to donate money or items to a silent auction for Braxton can message or call (606) 232-9665 or drop off items at the business.
The auction is scheduled for April 17, at Rebel River Outfitters. The business will also be doing a drawing on the same day, with each ticket costing $1, and five prizes will be given away, including an Abu Garcia 6600 C4 for first place; a one-day bounce house rental for second place; a Daiwa Wilderness Rod for third place; a $25 For Cakes Sake gift card for fourth place; and a Toadfish Koozie or a Scentsy small warmer for fifth place.
All the money collected will be used to help the Obrian family with medical related costs.
Randy’s Swap Shop in Louisa held a live sale on Friday, with half of the proceeds going to Braxton and also has a donation jar set up on the counter of the business.
Both Rebel River Outfitters and Randy’s Swap Shop have set up a PayPal account to accept donations for Braxton. Contributors are asked put “Braxton” in the notes section on PayPal.
The Obrians have also set up a Go Fund Me page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/braxtons-fight-with-cancer for those who would like to donate.
Mariah Obrian updated The Big Sandy News regarding her son’s treatment.
“They said it will be a long road,” she said. “That it will take place over the next year starting now it will take multiple chemo and radiation. And once the tumors are shrunk down they will probably have to send him to Cincinnati for multiple other treatments that cannot be done down here as in bone marrow, mibg treatments that target the tumors and one where they use the immune systems cells to attack the cancer cells/ tumors. So starting tomorrow he will be having biopsy on tumor on his spine and a bone marrow to see if there is cancer on the bone, his first radiation treatment and a tiny surgery to add his line and a good possibility they can start his chemo by the end of the day tomorrow he said that is going to be a very big mountain to climb but we have to start somewhere now or it could get worse.”
She also talked about the first time her son was diagnosed with cancer.
“Me and his dad have been together for almost four years,” Mariah Obrian said. “I’m not his biological mother, but we have been close since we met. He lost his mother a few years back around October 2015, due to tumors in her brain. They were so aggressive that before they were able to see what kind it was when they went to remove them, she passed during the operation. Braxton has been through a lot, dealing with his mother’s death, then at eight years old he gets diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer.”
Obrian said her stepson has three siblings, all brothers: Code, 8; Jacob, 11; and Mayson, 9.
“They all four do everything together,” she said. “They are inseparable, and they are always worried about Braxton and really protective of him. Covid makes it harder for Braxton because it would be more risky for him ever since he was diagnosed the first time, his immune system hasn’t’ been so good.”
According to information posted on their Go Fund Me page, Braxton was diagnosed in 2018 but was able to beat it in 2019.
The couple said in the post that they brought him to UK Children's Hospital in Lexington because “he's been having difficulty breathing and his legs have been going numb on him to where he wasn’t even able to walk.”
“After sometime we arrived and they done a scan and found out that his cancer has came back but worse,” the Obrians said in their post. “In 2018 and 2019 they was able to do two surgeries and remove all the tumors but this time it's so bad they can't do the surgeries and remove them. The doctor said that he has multiple tumors this time and they are in areas that if they done surgery he wouldn't make it off the surgery table.”
On the Go Fund Me page, the family shared a picture depicting where the tumors are located.
“There are multiple tumors in his chest area which is why his breathing has been difficult, some in his stomach and one right up on his spine pressing on nerves which is why his leg has been going numb and he’s not able to walk. His doctor wants to start him on chemo ASAP we are just waiting for his blood work and other scans to come back so we know how all his organs are doing then we will be going from there to start chemo and possibly radiation,” the Obrians said on the post. “Everyone that knows us knows that we live a good distance from the hospital and that the traveling cost and food up here is an issue at the moment, so just a $1, a share or a prayer would be greatly appreciated and if anyone has any questions feel free to message me. Thanks in advance God bless!”