It is not often we hear of a 10-year-old described as having a “pleasant disposition,” especially when they are living with cancer. However, Desmond is no ordinary child; he is truly one-of-a-kind and mature beyond his years. Despite braving thyroid cancer for a significant portion of his life, Desmond is known for his bright and lovely personality.

Desmond’s grandmother, Dinah, shared with the Compass to Care team that one of her favorite aspects of his personality is his ability to rebound to his known pleasant disposition, even when confronted with anger, frustration, or sadness. This positive spirit is evident in all aspects of Desmond’s life, and everyone who knows him acknowledges it.

Last year, Desmond and his family participated in the Compass to Care 2023 Bubble Fun Run, where he not only ran the 5k but also proudly walked home with his first-ever race medal. The champion on the track turned around two weeks later and championed the operating room during surgery to remove a tumor that had metastasized to his vocal cord nerves.

Thankfully all went well and, in September, the family was able to take a trip to Disney World through Make a Wish to celebrate these victories, give Desmond a dream trip, and see one of his real-life role models. One of Desmond’s career aspirations is to become a pilot, so this trip gave him some firsthand experience flying in an airplane and he was even able to sit with the pilot in the cockpit! This experience added an extra layer of joy to his already inspiring journey.

Despite facing more challenges than many children his age, Desmond’s day-to-day life involves a delicate balance of doctor’s appointments, school, and simply being a kid. While this is challenging, his journey is defined by his beautiful outlook and uplifting moments. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Compass to Care has been able to provide an amazing 67 trips to Comer’s Children’s Hospital for Desmond’s cancer treatments.

These experiences, along with the unwavering support from his family, friends, and medical team, are helping Desmond not only navigate the challenges of his medical journey but also dream of a future where he can explore the world from the driver’s seat of an airplane.