Kyle Blakeman

In September of 2005, Kyle was diagnosed with Renal Medullary Carcinoma, a very rare form of kidney cancer that only affects people with Sickle Cell Trait. He was 13. Kyle endured nine months of brutal treatments and was in remission for one year. Then in June of 2007, the cancer returned. Kyle passed away on August 28th, 2007.....


The average survival rate after a diagnosis of Renal Medullary Carcinoma is three months. With groundbreaking treatments, Kyle managed to fight and stay with us for two years. He had three months of Chemo, had his kidney removed, three more months of Chemo and then a tandem Stem Cell Transplant. He had one year of Cancer free living after all his treatments. His doctor had mentioned that she was going to take a week off from work to write a paper about him. She thought she might have found the answer to curing this disease. Kyle had just finished his freshman year at ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, Co. He was playing on the Sophomore baseball team and starting his conditioning program for the upcoming football season when he began getting back pain and feeling ill. Our worst nightmare had come true. The cancer was back. We tried some new treatments, but to no avail. Kyle spent his last six weeks on this earth in the hospital. There were times I truly thought I would lose my mind to the terror, grief and sheer exhaustion. I remember promising Kyle I would do everything I could to make sure another child would not go through what he went through. My CaringBridge site was my first step to letting people know as much as possible about this cancer, and what they can and should do about it. These words are for Kyle, for his memory and his legacy, for the quiet courage he showed and for never giving up the fight.

Please be sure to read THE POWER OF 64 on Kyle's CaringBridge site.  It's a wonderful story about magic, miracles and the Rockies!  For links to the CaringBridge site and other stories about Kyle visit the links page.

Joanna Blakeman

Kyle's Mom