Boy, 10, battling cancer plays Santa to other sick children
BOTHELL, Wash. -- At just 10 years old, Brandon Brauns is battling brain cancer.
"Things aren't going very well," said his mother, Kris Brauns.
The boy is very sick, struggling with a life-threatening illness, but never mind the pain -- he's been too busy playing Santa to some equally sick children.
"If I was in the hospital over Christmas again, I would want presents. So I thought I'd bring presents down to the kids at Children's (Hospital)," said Brandon.
Brandon's brain cancer is progressing. Chemotherapy has stopped working. He has 15 tumors in his head, four in his spine. but there's nothing wrong with his heart.
"Even when he's going through a rough time and having challenges of himself, first thing he thinks of is trying to do something to help others," said Jeff Brauns, Brandon's father.
Putting his own illness aside, Brandon led a caravan of classmates carrying toys to Children's Hospital.
Brandon's buddies collected toys, and dropped off some 400 of them at Children's and another 100 at the Ronald McDonald House.
On Christmas Eve night, the nurses will lend busy Santa a hand by delivering the toys while the kids are sleeping.
Brandon's toy drive at Shelton View Elementary School tackled one wish. He's written Santa about the other wish.
"In my letter to Santa I wrote, 'I wish for my tumor to go away for good,"' he said.
His mom's wish: that her son will make it to his eleventh birthday in March.
"He's such an awesome kid," said Kris.
In the meantime, they've been making the most of every minute.
"If it's a down day and not feeling good, we still make that the best day. And if it's an up day and feel good, make that the best day. I just have to focus on the time," Kris said.
"Things aren't going very well," said his mother, Kris Brauns.
The boy is very sick, struggling with a life-threatening illness, but never mind the pain -- he's been too busy playing Santa to some equally sick children.
"If I was in the hospital over Christmas again, I would want presents. So I thought I'd bring presents down to the kids at Children's (Hospital)," said Brandon.
Brandon's brain cancer is progressing. Chemotherapy has stopped working. He has 15 tumors in his head, four in his spine. but there's nothing wrong with his heart.
"Even when he's going through a rough time and having challenges of himself, first thing he thinks of is trying to do something to help others," said Jeff Brauns, Brandon's father.
Putting his own illness aside, Brandon led a caravan of classmates carrying toys to Children's Hospital.
Brandon's buddies collected toys, and dropped off some 400 of them at Children's and another 100 at the Ronald McDonald House.
On Christmas Eve night, the nurses will lend busy Santa a hand by delivering the toys while the kids are sleeping.
Brandon's toy drive at Shelton View Elementary School tackled one wish. He's written Santa about the other wish.
"In my letter to Santa I wrote, 'I wish for my tumor to go away for good,"' he said.
His mom's wish: that her son will make it to his eleventh birthday in March.
"He's such an awesome kid," said Kris.
In the meantime, they've been making the most of every minute.
"If it's a down day and not feeling good, we still make that the best day. And if it's an up day and feel good, make that the best day. I just have to focus on the time," Kris said.