Friends raise funds for local child with lymphoma

Nada Hassanein
Tallahassee Democrat
Community members are raising funds for five-year-old Fletcher Huddleston, who was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma in February.

Stephen Huddleston knew something was wrong when his son Fletcher went from being the spirited, energetic 5-year-old he was — to a lethargic, fatigued boy.

He was bruising easily, had red spots on his skin and just wasn't himself, his dad recalled. A trip to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare back in February — the day before he was to have his tonsils removed — led to a blood test showing disconcertingly low platelets. 

At 2 a.m. that Wednesday, Fletcher was transferred to Shands Hospital in Gainesville where he was diagnosed with cancers of the blood and bones, Huddleston said.

Friends of the Huddlestons quickly started a GoFundMe for "Fletcher the Fighter." As of Monday, more than $35,000 have been raised, close to $20,000 away from the goal.

"We were pretty terrified at first. It was just so jarring especially since it happened so quickly ... it just was all at once. He was critical," Huddleston said.

He was told his little one's bone marrow was made up of 90 percent cancer cells. The cancer "became really advanced really quick."

Community members are raising funds for five-year-old Fletcher Huddleston, who was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma in February.

The family moved from their home in Tallahassee to Gainesville to be closer to Shands Hospital, where Fletcher continues to receive chemotherapy and other treatments — adding to the mountain of medical bills. He endured cycles of high and low doses of medicine, and for a month, he was on a breathing tube.

"He was not able to talk with us [during that week]," his father said. "It was the scariest time."

On Friday, a post on the Fletcher the Fighter Facebook page pleaded for prayers. Fletcher was suffering from a high fever and was admitted to the hospital for fear of infection. He also had a case of mucositis hindering his ability to eat normally.

Aside from that scare, Huddleston says Fletcher is beginning to regain his normal appetite and energetic demeanor: scarfing down cinnamon rolls, watering and picking tomatoes from his little porch garden, shooting foam Nerf guns at the doctors and nurses — and of course, fighting with his sister Talullah, "which used to drive us crazy," Huddleston said with a laugh. But now his parents are relieved to see him have the energy to bicker and play with his younger sister again.

Later this month, Fletcher is slated to receive his last round of chemotherapy treatments. If his white blood cell counts are high enough, Huddleston said, the family can finally return home to Tallahassee in September — just in time for little Fletcher to start kindergarten.

Donations can be made via the GoFundMe page. Follow Fletcher's progress on Facebook.

Reach Nada Hassanein at nhassanein@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @nhassanein_.