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If you want some great news this week, here it is: Ryan Murphy’s youngest son, Ford, who is 5, is now cancer-free. A year ago this month, Ryan introduced his followers to Ford in an Instagram post in which he also announced that Ford had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was two. Ryan also donated $10 million, enough for a hospital wing, to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where Ford was treated.
Ryan shared the great news about Ford’s health during Variety‘s Power of Women event, at which he was presenting an award to Dr. Dana Walden for her work with the UCLA Jonson Comprehensive Cancer Center. He explained to attendees that Ford’s cancer had been found during a routine visit with his pediatrician:
Fortunately, during [his] check-up, “Ford coughed at the exact right moment” as his physician was performing an abdominal exam.
“He sat up, she was able to press her fingers in a bit deeper, Her eyes widened. Something was not right. From that moment came a day of terror and scans,” he said, adding that the doctors found that his son had neuroblastoma. “My baby had a tumor the size of a tennis ball at 18 months growing behind his abdominal wall. And the doctor said this was bad.” . . .
After learning about his son’s diagnosis, Murphy reached out to Walden, who is godmother to both his children.
“Ford went through a six hour surgery and years of intense exams which required hours and hours of anesthesia. I cannot express to you in this room how difficult this was on him, how difficult this was for our family,” he said, adding that while he has yet to “emotionally recover” from it all, “Ford has.”
“I am so proud to proclaim that he is cancer free,” Murphy added, as the room burst out in applause.
Opening up about the lessons he learned from the experience, Murphy stressed that “this is a disease that touches us all.”
I’m so happy for Ford, Ryan, Ryan’s husband, David Miller, and their older son, Logan, who is 6. I can’t imagine what having that weight lifted must feel like for all of them. Ryan told attendees, “We must help and we must be prepared and we must be proactive.” He explained that the hospital wing he and David donated the money for helps children and families “without our resources.” The Ford Theodore Miller Murphy Floor is a life-saving, incredible gesture from Ryan and David. May their family continue to be healthy and happy, and may their donation allow many many more children to get the treatment they need.
I’m so happy for him and his munchkin. I’ve seen those kids face such difficult treatment with more grace and bravery than I do when simply dealing with a bad cold. They’re tough little souls.
And what a wonderful gesture – no family should have to spend time worrying about finances when they’re trying to deal with something like this.
No 5 year old should ever have to go through this. I’m sobbing over here.
What a wonderful family. God bless them.
The second biggest fear of every parent in addition to death is a diagnosis like this. Ryan is a God send, he champions on women of all ages, minorities fighting for better world for all us while also fighting for his child in private.
I’m so happy and relieved for Ryan and his family. Cancer is a devastating illness and it seems unfair that a child has to deal with it. Thank God that they caught it when they did.
Babies with cancer. That is so,so very wrong. I wish that sweet little boy continued good health. It’s wonderful Ryan donated money because no parent should ever have to deal with not having the resources to treat their sick child.
Amazing, wonderful, great news!! 🖖🏽🖖🏽🖖🏽🖖🏽
I have a friend whose young son died from cancer two years ago. Through her advocacy, I have learned a lot about pediatric cancers, and how little research funding goes into these cancers. The statistic is something like less than 2% of money in cancer research goes towards pediatric cancers. This needs to change.
It may feel like that, but pediatric cancer research is way ahead of adult cancer research. All pediatric cancer treatment is funneled into studies, so that it can be quickly determined which treatments are and are not successful. Adult cancer treatments don’t do the same, so studies have trouble enrolling participants. This means that new treatments which everyone demands are found to be ineffective after a decade or more of use, because the studies were finally able to be completed. Survival rates for pediatric cancers have improved dramatically, while death rates from adult cancers have remained the same. (Basically, because we diagnose earlier, it looks like people are living longer, but they may not be.)
A great deal of cancer research is on a cellular level, which will impact the treatment of both adult and pediatric cancers.
No child should ever have to go through cancer treatments, and no parent should ever have to hear those devastating words, “Your child has cancer…”
I just received my 5 yr. all clear this past June. Even at my age (I was 57 at diagnosis), it was devastating for me to have to tell my dad (who was in his late 80s at the time), and see the anguish in his eyes hearing the words. It’s never easy for a parent of any age to hear this.
Every kudos in the world for Ryan Murphy for helping to make things better for kids and parents. And may Ford have continued good health!!
What wonderful news for you, congrats! I will have my 5-year all clear in the fall of 2021 and just had breast reconstruction surgery to repair the damage from my lumpectomy and radiation. Telling my partner I had cancer was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do but he’s been a total brick throughout the whole ride.
What amazing parents they are and their generous donation will go far in helping other little tots get the best treatments possible.
Thank you! It was a long journey that I will forever be on, but as each year passes, I take encouragement and grow stronger to keep up the fight!
Wishing you all the best, Jaded!! I know you will come through with flying colors and join me on this road!
💚💛💙💜❤️👍🏻💪🏻
I’m so glad for the two of you and Ford!
Thank you, bryan bard!💚💛💙💜❤️