Ethan was chosen in 2001 to be the very first Sponsor Child. At the time Ethan was suffering with Testicular Cancer. In April 1997, he was diagnosed with A.L.L. (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) at just three years old. He suffered a spinal relapse in 1998, underwent a bone marrow transplant in 1999, only to be diagnosed with the Testicular Cancer in 2000. At the time Ethan's mom, Eileen, was a single mom of four. Her main source of income, an in-home daycare, had to be closed due to Ethan's illness.

Although Ethan has complications with his eyes, heart, hormones and muscles due to the many years of chemotherapy, radiation and steroid use, they are being managed and are constantly showing signs of improvement.

Update: The following update was sent to us by Eileen (Ethan's mom) in January of 2010.

We are writing this with hearts filled with gratitude and in anticipation for a healthy 2010 as Ethan turns 16 years old (Thanks be to God!). We can hardly express the debt of love we feel toward T.H.A.N.K.S. for all the hope and financial support they gave us during Ethan’s illness. We send blessings to all those who work tirelessly at all your events and those who sacrifice their private time and generous donations to comfort the overwhelmed families of sick children. You have made a profound impact on our lives that will stay with us forever.

We are now living in Grand Haven near beautiful Lake Michigan. Although we miss our family and friends in Monroe, Ethan is thriving in the 8th grade at Lakeshore Middle School. He and his new friends enjoy video games and are active in the Pokémon trading card game leagues. He enjoys swimming at the Y and he’s quick to give sage advice to his friends on how to make healthier lifestyle choices. This May we had a lot to celebrate when Ethan was adopted by his new dad, my husband Dr. David Albrecht.

We have been very busy since we came to Grand Haven. We are helping families start on the road to better health by sharing all that we learned through Ethan’s journey recovering from childhood leukemia. We have shared his story with organizations, churches, schools and daycare centers throughout the area.

Together we are on a mission to change the health futures of children by teaching the link between the body’s toxicity and disease. The best advice we give to every parent we meet, whether their child is facing a crisis or not, is to get your family to eat as many fruits and vegetables as they possibly can every single day and enroll your child in the Children’s Health Study while taking Juice Plus+. www.wholefoodsforkids.com