Viral Photo of Parents Carrying Their 2-Year-Old Son Raises Cancer Awareness
Lifestyle
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In the fight to end childhood cancer, one viral photo of 2-year-old Logan Kinzel and his family are making waves.
“Everyone was really touched by it,” Logan’s mother Celia Kinzel told ABC News. “I really hope from all of this, that it does bring awareness to pediatric cancer. Before this happened to Logan, I thought it was rare. I hope this sheds some light on it and people see that it’s common.”
In November, Logan Kinzel was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer and then did five rounds of chemotherapy. His parents, Celia and Geff Kinzel, were scheduled to wed in June 2018, but decided to move up the date to make sure that their son could attend.
They even held the ceremony in the hospital, to make it easier for Logan.
“There wasn’t anything sad about it,” Kinzel told Us Weekly. “We were worried that Logan would get sick during the ceremony. But it was the first day that he was full of energy, really happy, really talkative. He was ready to see people and be there.”
Logan’s parents got married on January 7 inside the chapel of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
“The wedding day (sic) itself was just so special because it just goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you tie the knot, it doesn’t matter if it’s a huge fancy wedding or in a 20×20 room with 30 plus people crammed inside…if the love is there, it’s so special,” wedding photographer and family friend Megan Freemen told California television station KTVU. “I couldn’t get over the look on Geff’s face as he looked at Celia standing up there, holding their son. It was very raw and real.”
After the ceremony, Logan’s parents carried him back to his room in the hospital so he could have more treatment. Dempsey, Logan’s grandmother, snapped a photo of the family walking away. The photo circulated around social media and became a viral symbol for hope in the face of cancer.
43 children are diagnosed with cancer everyday, and one out of eight of those kids will not survive. Taking a stand against pediatric cancer can begin with a donation, and there are many organizations that help children and their families.
“I hope someone sees the photo and feels moved enough to either donate, volunteer or even just talk to friends or family about pediatric cancer,” Kinzel wrote to Your Daily Dish. “Every little bit helps. There are so many local and national organizations and foundations dedicated to helping families, raising awareness and raising money for research. The fact that so many people are even just sharing our story is great for the cause!”
