5-year-old among cancer survivors at this year's Relay For Life

Every child goes through sore throats and cold symptoms. It's not unusual to have a stuffy nose, a raspy voice or a swollen tonsil.

Paul Lyons, of Highland, had those symptoms when he and his brother, Jacob, went to their pediatrician for a routine flu mist spray vaccine in October.

But what doctors found three days later -- after his symptoms didn't respond to medicine -- was anything but routine.

The ear, nose and throat specialist "looked at Paul's throat, took a long pause and asked if Paul had been tired lately," said Paul's mother, Lynn. "I knew where he was going after going through my dad's cancer."

Within a half hour of seeing the specialist, Paul was scheduled for surgery that same day. A surgeon removed the cancer with the tonsil. A PET scan showed a small growth on the lymph node near his tonsil.

"I was numb," said Lynn, who with her husband, Tim, has lived in Highland for seven years. "I felt fear, disbelief. (But) I never doubted he would beat it."

Paul spent a week in St. Louis Children's Hospital. He had his first chemotherapy treatment the day he left the hospital.

Thus began the whirlwind of activity needed to treat Paul's stage 2 Burkitt's lymphoma. Paul was 4.

Paul will be one of the youngest cancer survivors celebrated Friday and Saturday at the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Highland. The community-wide Relay is an overnight event featuring a variety of activities, food booths and fun. This year's goal is to raise $100,000, and teams have been raising money for months.

This is the 27th year for Relay For Life and the seventh year for the overnight event in Highland. The event kicks off with a free dinner for survivors and guests; they should check in between 4:30 and 5 p.m. at the Korte Recreation Center. The opening ceremony and survivors lap begin at 7 p.m. Another highlight is the luminaria ceremony at 9 p.m. Activities continue throughout the night until the closing ceremony at 6 a.m.

For the Lyons family, it is another way to show their support of the American Cancer Society, raise funds for the fight against cancer, support others who are battling cancer, remember people lost to cancer and raise awareness of cancer and ways to try to prevent the disease

"Paul's cancer is a rare type, and I believe it is functions like Relay For Life that have provided the research for doctors to treat it with such precision and has given us this blessing to watch Paul grow up," said Lynn, who as a caregiver will share her story at the Relay.

"We try to give back to those who helped us and pay it forward to those in need," Lynn said. "This has brought us closer and made us stronger."

Short but rocky road

It was a rough go for the Lyons family as Paul went through eight chemotherapy treatments during two months last fall. Some treatments required that he be sedated, and he disliked that. He struggled with the pain in his jaw, legs and stomach. He threw up. He couldn't eat much some days. He lost his hair. He was too exhausted to go to "school" at Wee Care Day Care.

It wasn't easy for Paul to understand what was going on with his cancer treatments and why it was necessary for him to feel so bad so he would get better.

"I don't like cancer because I was sick," Paul said. "I don't like chemo because I just don't like it."

Through it all, his family was at his side. Lynn took leave from her job as a caseworker at the federal prison in Greenville. Her co-workers donated their sick leave to her so she wouldn't run out. Tim, an officer at the prison, was there for every chemotherapy treatment. Eight-year-old Jacob and their friends, Vinny Curtois, Nathan Houk and Ethan Brown, shaved their heads to support Paul as he was losing his hair.

"We kept a positive attitude and took each treatment one at a time," Lynn said. "We had the incredible support of Children's Hospital, our church (Evangelical United Church of Christ), the day care, friends, family and the whole community. The children at Wee Care gave 'Pennies for Paul.'"

Cub Scout Pack 40 and Jacob's friends at school also provided support for the family.

Eventually, Paul's treatments became easier to bear.

"With medications, Paul tolerated the chemo treatments better," Lynn said. "He would be sore the first day after each treatment. He did not have much energy during the two months. He was also on steroids, so his appetite was good. He actually gained weight while on chemo."

Paul had his last chemo treatment on Dec. 18 and celebrated a special Christmas at home with his family.

A month later, his PET scan showed the cancer was gone. He proudly rang the "cancer-free" bell at Children's Hospital.

A second PET scan in April showed Paul remained free of cancer. He is due for another scan in July and every three months this year.

Paul and his family couldn't be happier with the results of his treatment.

"I feel good and I like feeling normal," said Paul, who will start kindergarten at Highland Primary School this fall.

Lynn said she is especially thankful for how quickly Paul was diagnosed and treated.

"God is the reason Paul is here today," Lynn said. "Paul is God's miracle. There is no other reason why I took them to get the flu mist on that day and look in his throat. It is (God's) doing that we found the cancer when we did. It is a very aggressive, fast-growing cancer and Paul was stage 2. It is uncommon to find this type of cancer this early."

The Lyons family was well aware of cancer because Lynn's father, Bruce Pease, died in 2008 from leukemia.

"It was devastating for all of us," she says. "We are a very close family. The boys adore their Papa and have struggled with his passing. When we had to tell Paul and Jacob about Paul's cancer, we had to assure them that is was not like Papa's."

However, the fact that treatment didn't go well with her father's cancer made it more difficult for Lynn and Tim to face Paul's cancer.

"It scared me because my dad responded very well to the chemo and went into remission," she said. "Less than two years later, it came back. He underwent chemo again but it was harder on him than before."

Last year, the Lyons family purchased a luminaria at the Relay For Life of Highland in memory of their Papa.

Little did they know they would be purchasing another luminaria this year to celebrate Paul's status as a cancer survivor.

For the Lyons family, it is a celebration of Paul's return to a typical 5-year-old boy, spending his days swimming, riding his bike, playing T-ball, camping, playing with Hot Wheels cars and being a Star Wars "Jedi."

"He's having a carefree summer," Lynn says. "He's just being a 5-year-old. He doesn't have to think about everything (cancer and the treatments)."