Gardner Strong

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Gardner Strong 4 - Year Old Gardner is facing the fight of his life, and he shouldn’t have to face it alone.

This page was created to support him & his family through treatment, recovery, and beyond. Thank you for your prayers, kindness, and generosity.

Early morning adventure outside, we took turns pushing each other on the swing. Gardner helped be my hype man and chase ...
10/21/2026

Early morning adventure outside, we took turns pushing each other on the swing. Gardner helped be my hype man and chase away all the fogs and lizards.

I think the steroids hit. Hoping they stay effective. He loved stopping in Cheeseburger Randy’s. They were more than accommodating for us, it was their 2nd birthday.

Tomorrow is another Rylaze shot. We will find out if it’s the shot that took away his appetite. We have some questions to see if we have some alternatives for those days.

Since he is back on a steroid, I forgot we have to be super careful with the sun. He’s not burnt, we had on hats. He’s a tiny but pink and we will need to be more cautious.

Thank you all for standing by us in this journey.

Today we started Rylaze shots. It’s made everything worse. How can we battle this yucky feeling? He’s dizzy, nauseous, c...
10/20/2026

Today we started Rylaze shots. It’s made everything worse.

How can we battle this yucky feeling?
He’s dizzy, nauseous, can’t exactly explain what’s going on.

He doesn’t want to eat. I can sneak a “milkshake” aka- protein shake, when I see he’s not going to eat.

Today he ate -

A Protien shake, 1/4 of a David bar.
Half an order of Chick-fil-A fries
A croissant
2 meatballs on 2/3 of a hotdog bun and a 1/5 of a different protein shake.

To put this in perspective- he likes 6 eggs, 2 biscuits, 2 sausages or 4 pancakes for breakfast normally.

Lunch is often a collection of leftovers but more of a snack.

Dinner is a huge bowl of whatever I make often spaghetti or beans, plus a peanut butter and jelly on Texas toast.

When he feels well he eats loads of calories.

I hear all day how yuck he feels. I need more suggestions.
A. High calorie anything he will eat.
B. How to battle the yuck.
C. Prayers. Sister has a cold and we can’t see her until she gets better.

Thank you all for the continued prayers and support.

These pictures are two days apart. His red blood count has lowered. Eyes sunken in. He all around feels crummy most of t...
10/18/2026

These pictures are two days apart. His red blood count has lowered. Eyes sunken in. He all around feels crummy most of the time. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking and feeling. He has so many questions about why we can’t do normal things; go to friends houses, go to church, have friends over, ride his bike, climb, swim, play in the dirt. The list goes on and on.

How do you explain we’re intentionally poisoning you at the advice from your medical team and they aren’t 100% it’s going to be effective. It’s a practice. We’re hoping we’re making the right move every second of every day.

I do respect our medical team. It’s just the harsh reality.

10/18/2026

💚💚 Update – Day 249 💚💚
October 18, 2026

Sweet family,
Gardner has been sick all day. Car rides make him nauseous. Moving hurts. He’s not eating much, and he doesn’t understand why any of this is happening. Watching him hurt and confused is one of the hardest parts.

The side effects from Friday’s chemo are still hitting hard. He had the red devil (doxorubicin) plus the other medicines, including the one to help protect his lungs, after the lumbar puncture. He fought the sedation so hard that day — screaming until it finally took him under — and the anxiety before every procedure is getting tougher. We did not have the big Rylaze shot in his legs this time (the one that replaces PEG because he’s allergic), which was a small mercy, but the rest of the treatment is still taking its toll.

Please keep praying for his nausea to ease, for the pain with movement to settle, for his appetite to come back even a little, and for peace in his little heart when he doesn’t understand why he feels this way. Pray for this mama heart too — it’s heavy watching him go through it.
We believe he’s going to come through these hard days. We believe there are more ordinary, pain-free, truck-filled days ahead.
Ways to support our family right now (thank you for asking — every bit helps):

• All support links in one place: https://linktr.ee/Gardnerstrong
• Financial / medical help (GiveSendGo): https://www.givesendgo.com/gardnerstrongal
• Amazon Wishlist (trucks that light him up): https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3QXD0DWO89P6Q?ref_=wl_share
• Cards, drawings, or notes: 15461 US Hwy 98, Foley AL 36535
Thank you for standing with us in the hard and the hopeful. We feel your love carrying us through.
forever 💚💚🚚
— Gardner’s weary, tear-stained mama ❤️
(Share if this resonates — another family fighting this might need to know they’re not alone today.)

10/16/2026

💚💚 Update – Day 247 💚💚

October 16, 2026

Sweet family,
My heart is breaking a little more today.
Knight Gardner finally got sedated for his lumbar puncture, but he fights the sedation so hard. He screams and screams until it takes him under, and every time it feels like it rips something open in me. He came into clinic already full of anxiety — it seems like every procedure starts that way now. The fear builds before we even get in the room, and I just hold him and try to stay steady while my own heart is aching.

We’re staying outpatient today. After the sedation wears off we’ll head up to the infusion center for the red devil (doxorubicin), the medicine that helps protect his lungs, and the rest of his chemo. On a positive note, he does not have the big shot in his legs today — the Rylaze (the one that replaced the PEG because he’s allergic to it). Small mercies on hard days.💚

Please keep praying with us — for a smooth recovery from sedation, for the infusions to go gently, for his anxiety to ease, and for strength for this mama heart that feels so heavy watching him fight the things that are trying to heal him. Drop a dragon 🐲 if you’d play knights with Gardner.

We believe he’s going to come through this. We believe the hard days are leading us to more ordinary ones — more truck races, more laughter, more days that don’t start with screams.

Ways to support our family right now (thank you for asking — every bit helps):
• All support links in one place: https://linktr.ee/Gardnerstrong
• Financial / medical help (GiveSendGo): https://www.givesendgo.com/gardnerstrongal
• Amazon Wishlist (trucks that light him up): https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3QXD0DWO89P6Q?ref_=wl_share
• Cards, drawings, or notes: 15461 US Hwy 98, Foley AL 36535
Thank you for standing with us in the hard and the hopeful. We feel your love carrying us.
forever 💚💚🚚
— Gardner’s tear-stained mama Kate Kesterson❤️

Inside this pineapple container is Daddy 🐸 and baby was Gardner’s new friend. Thanks to becoolair for fixing the air con...
10/14/2026

Inside this pineapple container is Daddy 🐸 and baby was Gardner’s new friend. Thanks to becoolair for fixing the air conditioner and finding Flashy and Gracie the frogs. 🐸 🐸

This is the last day we get to play without our gloves. 🧤 the microscopic bacteria in dirt is a major concern as Gardners immune system drops. We go tomorrow morning for bloodwork to see if we start treatment Friday.

Gardner tried hard to sneak on the truck. Austin wouldn’t allow it. Gardner really wanted to go to the “box place”.
10/14/2026

Gardner tried hard to sneak on the truck. Austin wouldn’t allow it. Gardner really wanted to go to the “box place”.

10/12/2026

Small break from gardening and we have a personality change.
Some days we are just silly.

10/12/2026

Thank you Tammy Prine and Crystal H. Druse for this beautiful and thoughtful gift. Gardner loves it.

Gardner says wait for the cheese. It’s just like cooking with him.
10/11/2026

Gardner says wait for the cheese. It’s just like cooking with him.

Address

15461 US Highway 98
Foley, AL
36535

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