Charming ‘hero’ overcomes leukemia

Nathan Magdaleno is a rambunctious 2-year-old, never content to sit still.

He loves to dance and even has a signature move, the “doggie,” in which he gets on all fours and kicks one leg. His favorite music comes from Alicia Keys and Selena Gomez, and he’s always excited to watch the “Happy” music video by Pharrell.

He picks on his 9-year-old sister, Brya, hiding her shoes under the couch. He follows his older sister, 15-year-old Mya, around the house, and he likes to mimic his mom’s movements when she’s following exercise videos.

His favorite word is “ow,” and he can’t be pulled away from the television when “Sid the Science Kid” is on.

“He’s a rug rat, I have to admit,” said his dad, Victor Magdaleno.

The Vancouver toddler even maintained that spunky spirit while fighting acute myeloid leukemia.

Nathan spent the better part of six months at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland undergoing chemotherapy. Most kids with Nathan’s cancer receive four rounds of treatment. But Nathan was born with Down syndrome and, as a result, required two additional rounds of potent drugs, Victor said.

“Nathan was the youngest one, and, honestly, he was pretty tough,” he said.

Nathan and his mom, Leticia, would spend weekslong stretches confined to the hospital. During that time, Nathan would entertain himself and everyone around him. His favorite pastime was to ride through the halls in a wagon, waving and blowing kisses to everyone he passed.

He stole the hearts of the staff at Doernbecher.

“He is a ladies man,” Victor said. “Every nurse at the hospital was his girlfriend.”

The staff and volunteers who worked with Nathan nominated the toddler for the 2014 Community Hero honor. Last month, the Children’s Cancer Association named Nathan to Community Heroes — a group of 24 children and teens from Oregon and Southwest Washington who have shown courage and perseverance in the face of serious medical challenges.

For the next year, Nathan will be featured on the Wall of Courage, a traveling display of portraits and biographies of

the heroes.

“We feel honored people would nominate him,” Leticia said.

“They are heroes, what they have to go through,” Victor added.

‘Perfect’ Nathan

Leticia and Victor Magdaleno weren’t planning to add to their family, but they were thrilled by the surprise pregnancy.

Because of Leticia’s age — she was 42 when she got pregnant — her doctors wanted to perform tests to determine if the baby had Down syndrome. A woman’s chances of giving birth to a baby with Down syndrome increase with age because older eggs have a greater risk of improper chromosome division, according to the Mayo Clinic.

By age 35, a woman’s risk of having a baby with Down syndrome is about 1 in 350. By age 40, the risk is about 1 in 100, and by age 45, the risk is about 1 in 30, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The Magdalenos’ test came back positive.

“It was very shocking,” Leticia said.

Leticia gave birth to Nathan one month early. After four days in the neonatal intensive care unit, Nathan headed home.

He was born with lower-than-normal blood cell counts. Doctors weren’t too alarmed at the time but ordered monthly blood tests to monitor his counts. By February 2013, Nathan’s doctors had grown concerned. The infant’s cell counts were still low and beginning to drop.

In August 2013, doctors diagnosed Nathan with acute myeloid leukemia.

“It was hard on the family,” Victor said.

While Nathan underwent treatment, the family was split. Leticia stayed with Nathan, while Victor worked and, with the help of other relatives, kept things running at home.

“My children didn’t feel like it was a family,” Victor said.

Mya and Brya visited Nathan in the hospital often. But when flu season imposed age limits for visitors to reduce flu transmission, Brya had to settle for FaceTime chats with her brother. She was too young to meet the temporary rule.

When the girls did see their brother, they struggled with seeing him undergoing treatment.

“I didn’t like seeing him with all that stuff on him,” Mya said.

In February, Nathan finished treatment. His blood tests have been promising, but the family knows there’s still a chance Nathan could relapse. For the next couple years, doctors will monitor Nathan’s cell counts with monthly blood tests.

“We’re thinking positive, everything is going to go well,” Leticia said.

Through it all, Nathan has remained his curious, energetic self and has continued to grow.

Because of the chemotherapy, doctors said Nathan might lag behind other kids his age developmentally. But at a recent doctor’s visit, the Magdalenos learned Nathan is developmentally ahead of other kids his age who also have Down syndrome, Victor said.

Two months ago, Nathan started walking. He’s learned how to crawl up and slide down the stairs. And he’s started saying small words.

He eats with a spoon and drinks from his own cup. He responds when people talk to him.

And he’s learning sign language.

“He’s just perfect,” Leticia said.

“That’s his nickname, ‘Perfect,’ ” Victor said. “He’s a huge blessing to our family.”