9-year-old Greensboro cancer survivor to light PPG place tree
Last year, 9-year-old cancer survivor Jax Hunyady of Greensboro spent Thanksgiving, Christmas and his birthday in the hospital, where he was undergoing treatment after surgery to remove a brain tumor.
This year, the Greene County youth will kick off the holiday season by lighting up Pittsburgh when he flips the switch on the official Holiday Tree by the Rink at PPG Place during the annual American Cancer Society Tribute of Light Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The event, which is part of Pittsburgh’s Light Up Night, will start at 4:30 p.m., with Jax’s tree- lighting set for 6 p.m.
On Nov. 6, 2023, Jax was diagnosed with a brain tumor – medulloblastoma group 3 and 4 – after his mother, following repeated trips to the doctor’s office, took him to the emergency room for evaluation of severe and worsening headaches, nausea and tiredness.
Two days later, he underwent a 10-hour surgery at WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va., where doctors removed a majority of the tumor. The surgery was followed by 33 rounds of radiation and additional surgeries.
On Jan. 23, he was taken by ambulance – escorted by a brigade of Jeeps and trucks – to UPMC Children’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, where he received four weeks of inpatient rehabilitation and additional rounds of chemotherapy.
Now, after 11 months, doctors say Jax is in remission, and he has returned to class in the fourth grade at Bobtown Elementary School in Southeastern Greene School District.
“Having a child battle cancer has taught us that we can never take a day for granted. We wake up each and every day with a purpose. We do it for Jax,” said his stepmother, Rachel Magerko Turner. “We have learned that family, community, friends, and strangers we’ve never met in real life support us no matter what … after everything Jax has been through, he is still so loving, caring, and giving, and his heart shines through, while his infectious smile makes the world a better place.”
Said Jax, “To be able to light this tree brings me happiness from everything I have been through.”
Jax’s father, Dan Hunyady, spent 166 days in the hospital by his side, and Jax got support from his parents, family, and friends throughout. Turner managed the couple’s business, High Strung Motorsports, and cared for their 3-year-old and 1½ year-old daughters.
Jax likes fishing, hunting, riding ATVs, animals, big trucks and Jeeps, and is back to doing the things he enjoys.
His recovery wasn’t easy. After surgery, he developed posterior fossa syndrome, which occurs in up to 25% of children after medulloblastoma surgery, and for Jax resulted in loss of mobility, loss of speech, and difficulty eating. He is still working to regain mobility and uses a wheelchair, Turner said.
After he was discharged April 20, Jax was readmitted to the hospital a week later with complications, including a fever, and returned home a few weeks later.
“He went through a rough time. We were all scared and didn’t know if he’d get through it, but prayers and positivity helped him, and he’s never lost that smile,” said Magerko.
Jax got support from his parents, family, and friends throughout his recovery. His Facebook page, #jaxamillionstrong, has more than 20,000 followers.
Jax will have bloodwork done several times a week and will receive platelets and blood transfusions when necessary. He will undergo brain scans every three months.
He and his father have a slogan: Win the second, win the minute, win the hour, win the day, win the week, win the month, win the year, win the life.
The annual Tribute of Light Celebration – where a procession of volunteers carrying specially lighted tributes in honor or memory of cancer patients and survivors, their caregivers and families, and those who lost their battle to the disease – will encircle the ice rink at 5:45 p.m., before Jax and his family take to the stage to officially kick off the holiday season with the lighting of the tree at 6 p.m. A performance by the East End Kids will follow, before an open skate starts at 7.
Jax’s parents and stepparents kept their Christmas trees up until June, when Jax returned home.
“As a family, the tree-lighting brings us all happiness. Christmas is one of our favorite times of the year. We love all of the decorations and seeing smiles on everyone’s faces. Being able to see Jax light this tree is going to be such a magical moment,” said Turner. “When his cancer journey started it was really rough, and we didn’t think we would get to the point of being able to attend events again as a family.”
The public is welcome to attend the light-up event to cheer for Jax as he kicks off the holiday season. The light-up ceremony is free, but there is a charge for the open skate.
Anyone who wants to learn more or would like to purchase a tribute ahead of the Tribute of Light celebration can visit https://tinyurl.com/ACSTributeoflight. A limited number of tributes will be available for purchase the evening of the event before the ceremony starts.