BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — It’s been a long journey for Jehvan Crompton but his battle with cancer has finally come to an end for the first time in nearly two years as he is now cancer-free.
From the bad news to the exciting moments like this week, Kimberly Crompton has been by her son’s side every step of the way.
“Now just to hear the words cancer-free, is like amazing," said Kimberly Crompton, Jehvan's mother. "Because I mean the process in itself has been unreal. And now to hear it. It's like we did this!”
But that outcome didn't come easy Kimberly says her son Jehvan was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia back in 2019. It is a rare form of cancer that attacks bone marrow and blood. Last year her son stopped responding to treatments.
“It's like getting hit by a dump truck and then that dump truck hitting you again and going back over you again. It's a feeling you can't explain. You can't even talk about the pain,” said Kimberly “And then being in the mother role, you still have to be that nurturer. But at the same time, you need somebody to nurture you.”
23ABC met Jehvan back in January of this year when he was looking for a match for a blood stem cell transplant as he stopped responding to his treatments. Through the process, 23ABC followed him along as he held donor drives and community outreach programs to find his match. But in March he didn't have to look far to find a half match.
“It was my brother. I'm thankful," said Jehvan "We didn't have much of a relationship before this happened. But after now our relationship is getting better and better by the day.”
Jehvan, his brother, and his mother sought treatment on April 5 of this year. They stayed at the City of Hope Cancer Center, east of Los Angeles, through May 7th while undergoing his blood stem cell transplant and heavy chemo during that time. Afterward, they entered an isolation room at the Hope Village not far from the center from May through mid-July as Jehvan had to rebuild his immune system following the procedure.
“A cold to us could cause death to Jehvan." said Kimberly "So I couldn't go out the room and the nurses really couldn't come in.”
Posing both mental and physical challenges for the both of them, despite all odds, Jehvan was able to complete his schooling online throughout the semester from his hospital bed. Moving forward, besides playing video games Jehvan has big plans ahead.
“It feels good. Hopefully, I can come back to normal strength and do all the things I wanted to do pre- diagnoses," said Jehvan. "Traveling to go somewhere, see new things and probably go to high school. cause I didn't get to.”
Now Jehvan says the journey doesn't end here. Sadly, not everyone is able to have an outcome like Jehvan which is why he is urging the community to sign up and help those in need through be the match.
If you would like to help others like Jehvan, you can sign up online.
