M&M: Henry Fenollosa and his mom Catherine

Wanna say good morning to Henry Penalosa he -- six years old tomorrow and to -- sending set. Oh my play may have. What was your birthday Henry -- second while Casey Ben Stevens seven for a couple months now seven treaty so far. Do you like being seven years old and yeah that's a good age -- seven Bucky number seven. I was -- I don't know it was scenario if you his mom -- here as well Catherine good morning thank you for for coming in here today. Henry hi she'll look great but they. -- he was diagnosed. Before he's even born you which is is it neural blast on my semi saying that right past. What's that like is as a mom to be an expected mother to find out that. Your son has cancer. We found out that. Mean how does that mean we get cancer and how does -- -- who has even been out in the world. Get cancer and we were. -- and I never heard anything like that happening here the leaders. Out of and we just felt so thankful that we -- in Boston and you had dean at Harvard here because. Through his whole treatment you know what you're running through my mind was when we're somewhere else and when they didn't catch up. You know whether it's you delivered a month -- and when -- gone this term I mean he might not be here. The tough guy because you he's born and he began his chemotherapy. And the first day of his life I mean that's that's a that's a tough kid you know right out of that's that's the strength right there. It I mean we kept asking doctors -- -- you know what you're doing great you know you've done it. The news this morning thank you don't worry don't worry it's. It was it was terrifying. And she somehow made it through I don't know I really. And that means by his. His strength and he underwent. A procedure. Before -- -- 24 hours -- it's really important to his chest and he can receive chemotherapy. -- I have seen it within 24 hours and he underwent more in his first in what amounts to. And their entire lives. And and he leaves -- with a smile when things kind of dark T hack Hewitt Hewitt put a smile on his face and then there's it was. There was some reason I have to ask you. It we've been talking for a couple of days now vote win the parent discusses. Diagnosis and treatment with a child. Obviously that's not prevalent in this case because we're talking but a newborn baby so what point during Henry's adolescence. Did. You begin to bring this into the dialogue. It's we've only used the cancer word recently moved. His tumor grew in his spinal cord. And compresses his stage crew and the common compressed spinal cord. So it caused some paralysis in his legs. And and his -- imbalance. Don't work the way they're supposed to do. So we always talked about you know that get a lump in his back and that doctors given special medicine to get rid of them. He you know has always -- -- leg brace that he knew that there were things that made him. A little different from other kids but it's just really in the last year that we started talking about. Cancer. And you know being at the Jimmy Fund is. Amazing she gets to meet other kids who who have cancer who have had it. And you know when when your kid when your -- -- -- cancer you can tell if you're gonna meet other kids in your neighborhood who have what you have. So it's been easier to talk about it knowing that -- when we going to turn you can meet other kids like. Do your kids and they speak a special language that's special to them that we don't mean we can understand the words but not the relationships. How do you know I don't know if it's words but it's their actions. You know when you go in the Jimmy Fund some kids have no hair. Some kids have feeding tubes -- some Catholic Henry have either like racism there in wheelchairs and there's just total except them. They eat they they don't look at each other is different and and that's one incredible gift I think that Henry house. You know we talk a lot about how everybody's body's work differently. And and and and I think that's one thing that he's learned through their but the kids just. You know they've they've they see each other and and no one of them you know a kid my that's my question that is like -- Henry Madoff. You know give twice in a wheelchair right why he doesn't have any hair and and then they and then they don't play week. You know reduce some of the other games and in that Jimmy Fund room it's been anything. Henry let me ask you -- Your mom's talking about what the Jimmy Fund means to -- What's it like we go over the clinic tells about it. And. -- like playing rules. Who -- notice that was my sort of watching it several times now whichever game over there. -- Mario could meet you that's a great game if you meet other the other friends you meet friends playing -- What's that like to meet friends over there. -- suited -- magazine. Is it nice to have friends over there why we went. Mom he does at this year's lot of running within a very active kid. Was there a time early on in his life where you you weren't sure if you would be able to enjoy that if you weren't sure we have. You know functioning legs and was he gonna be able to run around and be normal kid. Okay let's keep it. Born early in the it's. Specialist teams in there at the end when he was. -- -- kind of moved one of his legs and the whole room just started cheering. Wow because at that point didn't know what the extent of the -- system's going to be. And then you know she didn't crawl until he was one he didn't walk until he was too. They weren't sure they told us they weren't sure he would ever walk. He started it to within the medical walker. And when we went for our first appointment. After he started using a walker we went to the Jimmy Fund the appointment and all the nurses and doctors there. He was their baby I mean they saw him from day one and -- seen him you know over the two years. End when he walked into that waiting room at the medical water everybody started crying I mean. Davis. You know everyone can see how important how -- and and then when Henry turned it -- his Father's Day he came in woke us up to him loose -- that I am I want my training wheels off now. And you know it goes a big lesson from my husband and -- -- nothing gets in his way there's going to be no obstacle means you just. He started riding his bike with training wheels and putting his left leg which is the -- that's because. I'm proud just tap on them on them almost on the handlebars and just huddling with his right leg. And then so I was nervous about taking him that train -- -- and then we took them off and maybe a half an hour of dad running on the right behind you. And then -- I haven't been able. -- just zoomed down the street -- if you -- Wall Street by yourself. This could be a bumper sticker I did it. Yeah I love that. Simplistic perfect answer great stuff and -- what kind of -- fortune would you now and you like to run like to rock climb. Do you like. Which -- -- -- -- favorites for. Unknown and still like knocking it new and -- -- the bruins' one but again a win again this year. Cannons and nasty won't make any promises talk like that with what's the best hockey team in Arlington -- -- -- I guarantee Catholic. Com -- nice -- tonight show maturity that goes back and forth I think some years. And he still going inferred check ups and did it lead every six. Lance. And this is our first year of not doing MRI his. Which you know it's that kind of scary thing when they're not doing Maggie we haven't. As much -- in the beginning you hit all the tests you come to use them as a security blanket just as confirmation that everything's okay. But. He's doing great every six months ago Landon and they take blood and do a couple other tests and he's he's been amazing. Well seal their place a week next time we see over there are entering. We'll play some Mario -- how's that sound good. Thanks coming in here today but. -- strong strong boy have there Katherine strong guy and it's an amazing story Henry thank you for sharing it.