LAS VEGAS (KTNV ) — The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society teamed up with Burlington for a birthday surprise.
Troy Viveros is 12-years-old. He’s not quite a teenager yet but is shopping like one on his birthday.
Something his mother Jacqueline Tompkins can easily attest to.
“He’s old enough now. He likes to get his own stuff. He has his own style,” Tompkins said.
Most importantly he’s healthy enough now to go down just about every aisle. Something he got to do at a Las Vegas Burlington store and pick out what he likes with $300 worth of gift cards.
“Joggers, flannels and sweaters,” Viveros said.
Troy was first diagnosed with leukemia at five years old.
“It’s been tough on my son, ” Tompkins said. “He’s had to go through radiation and lots of chemo and surgeries. And its just been a lot.”
A year later he was cancer free, but in 2016 it came back. He’s still being treated, but he’s feeling well enough to go to school.
“You wouldn’t even think he has cancer the way he acts, ” Tompkins said. “Nobody at his school even knew he had cancer.”
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society teamed up with Burlington for Troy’s birthday surprise. It was part of an initiative to bring smiles and confidence to childhood cancer survivors.
“We have five stores locally that participate and they are still raising money until December and they have already raised forty-thousand dollars,” said Jill Scarletti with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.