It wasn’t the Christmas 18-year-old Alex Leisenring and his family were expecting this year. While they received the white Christmas they had hoped for, they spent the holiday in a hospital room with Alex reports Trib Live. While it was a beautiful view from the 9th floor in his hospital bed watching the snow fall, it wasn’t the most ideal way to spend Christmas. Yet, Alex shared his positivity and continues to be a fighter.
Alex suffers from neurofibromatois type 1, NF1. His body is full of tumors, as well as an aggressive cancer that was found just three months ago in his pelvis alongside his sciatic nerve. To learn more about neurofibromatis, click here.
While there are many different type of symptoms and risks that can develop from NF1, Alex is on the brink of losing his left leg. If the cancer can be controlled with his chemotherapy treatment that he stared after Christmas, than there is a chance they can save it. Time will tell for Alex, and while it’s scary, he has his friends and family to lean on for support, especially because a couple of them have neurofibromatosis type 1 as well.
Amy, Alex’s mother, and his older brother Kevin Jr. were both also diagnosed with the disease, yet their cases remains mild, with benign tumors and small pigmentation effects of the skin. Kevin also has physical limitations having developed scoliosis, a spine curvature. Having family that shares the disease with Alex is extremely helpful when needing to talk through what he’s feeling.
While Alex has just undergone his second round of chemotherapy, he continues to be a bright positive light looking forward. He aspires to be a videographer and takes every opportunity he has to make videos to share with his friends and family. When he was first sent to the hospital on Christmas, he shared his heartbreaking situation but also his uplifting soul via YouTube. A lot of his videos can be heavy, but he can’t help but make funny prank videos constantly, because that’s just what he loves.
Follow Alex’s video journey on his YouTube: videokid703.
