One week earlier Max was playing baseball and had fallen while running around the bases, hurting his arm. That was on a Friday.
The Max Cure Foundation is a 501(c)(3) pediatric cancer foundation dedicated to funding research and providing financial support to low-income, military and first responder families who have a child battling cancer. On May 2nd, 2007 the day before his 4th the Plotkin family heard the devastating words that over 43 sets of parents are told every day in the U.S.
“Its malignant. Although there appea
red to be no evidence of major injury, Max was crying out in pain. His Mother instinctively knew there was something wrong so she took him to the pediatrician who recommended an x-ray. After seeing the results of the x-ray, the orthopedic surgeon recommended Max get a biopsy. The biopsy was scheduled for Monday. It was a very long and frightening weekend. On that Monday morning Max was diagnosed with a rare form of stage four, B Cell Lymphoma. This type of cancer had never before been seen by the oncologists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. The cancer which was in his right arm had metastasized to his left knee. His family was devastated. One thing that made Max’s cancer so unique was that although the cancer was found in his bone, it was not found in his blood or marrow. Max underwent two years of intense chemotherapy treatments. During his treatments, Max would carry a stuffed lion doll with him to the hospital. He said it helped him be brave. That is why our “mascot” is a lion, who is honorably named Lion Max, and our motto is Roar For A Cure. That first night in the hospital, I remember getting down on one knee and praying to a higher power. I made a pledge that if he got my son through this, I would dedicate my life to the fight against childhood cancer.
— David Plotkin, Max’s Dad
