Quincy is a 9-year-old fourth grader who keeps busy with coding, baseball, martial arts, and swimming. This May, he celebrated eight cancer-free years since his diagnosis with Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML), a rare type of blood cancer that typically affects children under a year old. 

Quincy was just 4 months old when his parents noticed a strange rash on his face. Trips to the dermatologist provided no real answers. And then little Quincy’s belly began to swell. His pediatrician finally sent Quincy to Children’s Hospital Oakland for bloodwork and an ultrasound. His parents were concerned; but nothing prepared them for the shock of a leukemia diagnosis. Quincy began treatment immediately, however the chemotherapies were not working. He continued to get sicker and had to have his spleen removed. The cure for JMML is a stem cell transplant, but Quincy was too sick to have one. 

His doctors ordered a genetic test called the UCSF500 to screen for cancer genes. The test revealed that Quincy had a mutation called FLT3 which is a genetic abnormality typically seen in some adult cancers. His doctors, two researchers funded by Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), realized that there was a drug that matched Quincy’s mutation. The drug hadn’t been used in kids nor had it ever been tested in leukemia. It was a risk, but his family was out of options – they took it. 

And it worked. Quincy was able to reach full remission! At just under a year old he went through the curative bone marrow transplant he needed with his dad as his donor. He's been thriving ever since. 

Following treatment, Quincy has been able to meet all his regular developmental milestones. He wasn’t even 2 years old when he was dribbling and kicking a soccer ball with great accuracy. 

Quincy held his first Alex’s Lemonade Stand when he 6 years old. His mom says that Quincy continues to be proud of helping others and understands both his own cancer journey and the importance of paying it forward. 

“Cancer has continued to keep our family humble and grateful,” said Lara. “Quincy is my hero because of his resilience and strength. To this day, I am proud of the young man he is becoming. And we are so grateful that he is doing very well. It takes a village of ALSF and UCSF to guide us on this cancer journey and we are coming out on the other end supported and stronger."

Information provided by Lara S., Quincy’s mom
Updated November 2025