Miracle Monday – Harrison Riggle

Harrison Riggle was several months old when he developed red rashes on his skin that didn’t clear up. His parents, Lisette and Mark, sought help at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Diagnosis: Rothmund-Thomsom Syndrome — a very rare condition that makes a child at high risk for cancer during childhood or adolescence. Can you imagine living life wondering if this will be the day you learn that your son has cancer?

That day DID come in June, 2013. Harrison and his brother, Cole, had been bean bag wrestling. Harrison hurt his left wrist. When it wasn’t better the next day, he went to the doctor. An X-ray discovered a mass. A biopsy and MRI provided confirmation: Harrison had Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) in his left radius bone, at the wrist. 

Lisette’s friends asked why she chose to have Harrison’s chemotherapy treatment at Hurley Children’s Hospital instead of in Ann Arbor. Her answer was simple. “We’ve met oncologists at Hurley we LOVE!”  Harrison responded well to his chemo and had his surgery at a sister CMN Hospital — Beaumont Children’s Hospital at the end of that September.  The surgeon removed the tumor and five inches of the radial bone in his left arm, replaced it with a cadaver bone, and fused the bones together with a steel connector.  Once Harrison learned that his donor was a nine-year-old girl, he named his new bone “Bobbi.”

     Harrison completed his 58 week chemotherapy regime at Hurley on July 24, 2014.  He continued to have bloodwork, scans, and xrays at the Hurley Hematology/Oncology Clinic over the next five years. Fast forward to today. Harrison just celebrated his 18th birthday and is a rising senior at Grand Blanc High School. He continues to fuel his passion for capturing beautiful images with his drone through his drone business “Harry FPV”, and has expanded into building and flying racing drones.  He is currently undecided between going to college for CAD, or following his passion for drone flying by going to an arts college focusing on the movie industry.  His mom stays in touch with his nurses on social media and shares his accomplishments with them.

“They were our family for over a year and helped us through the most challenging time of our lives. The entire Hurley staff, including doctors, nurses, Child Life, and CMN, will forever have a special place in our hearts” – Lisette Riggle