When Dallas Weddle turned 13, he wanted to celebrate his birthday with by raising a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. His teachers, family members, and friends made and sold baked goods all came together to bring in baked goods and sell them to the community of Jackson. Weddle Dallas was so excited to see how the community all came out to support him and St. Jude.

Why?

Dallas is a patient at St. Jude. But he's been going to the hospital since he was 4 years old because a tumor was found on his back. His mother, Tekia Denwiddie, learned it was caused a genetic condition that his father had and died from - familial adenomatous polyposis or FAP. 

Weddle Dallas is a patient at St. Jude. and He's been going to hospital visits with his mom, Tekia Denwiddie since he was 4-years-old he was getting a tumor on his back and Denwiddie learned it was caused by a genetic condition that came from father, who passed away from Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), the same condition Weddle was born with. 

FAP is a rare inherited cancer that can be found in a patient's in the colon at in a young age. Since Dallas was diagnosed with FAP as a child,  Weddle found out about the condition at a young age he was able to receive treatment from surgeon Dr. James Eubanks at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis and then at St. Jude.  with General Surgeons, Dr. James Eubanks

Weddle Dallas also has Gardner Syndrome, which is a subtype of FAP. He has gum tumors, colorectal polyps and osteomas, which means he has tumors all around his body. When Dallas Weddle was 4, Dr. Eubanks warned Denwiddie that if he removed the tumors, there was a chance the tumors were going to grow back more aggressively. The tumors were removed and Dallas he lived life normally.  

When Dallas was 7, everyone started noticing a grapefruit size tumor on his back and people would question whether he had a humpback or not. That's when Dr. Eubanks suggested Dallas meet his colleague Dr. Michael Bishop, an oncologist who is the head doctor on Dallas' case. 

 Weddle was bullied a lot at school and at the summer camps he use to go to.  Dr. Eubanks suggested then to go to St. Jude to meet his colleague and oncologist Dr. Michael Bishop, the Oncology and head doctor of Weddle's case.  

Dallas was bullied a lot at a summer camp he attended because of the tumor. Denwiddie remembers her son coming home crying because of the bullying he endured at summer camp. He asked to stay home for the rest of the year, but Denwiddie assured him everything was going to be OK. okay. 

"Dallas, we can't fight a battle hiding." Denwiddie said. 

Dallas started to develop tumors on his shoulder, ankle, head and back. Today he tries to not let the tumors bother him. He wears sweaters and pants to hide them, but his friends and families look past the tumors and see Dallas as a normal kid, because he is a normal, typical, kid. 

One day in the Le Bonheur Lebonheur Hospital, Weddle asks Dallas asked his mom if he's going to make it back to a friend's birthday party but she and his mom reminded him of the chemo appointments he needed to do to first. When visiting Dr. Mark R. Corkins, a gastroenterologist, Weddle Dallas told Dr. Corkin how he's missing a friend's birthday party. Dr. Corkin smiled at Dallas and said, hunches over to Weddle, smiles and say "Life is not fair. You are a good kid and you didn't deserve this nor did you do anything wrong."

He told Dallas that he was the most perfect and most normal kid in the world, but he was always going to have life with the disease and he needed to do his weekly treatments to ensure his a long life ahead of him. 

A reminder to remain positive 

"My mother always has my back," Dallas said "She does so much for me. Whenever I'm sick she checks on me, and she knows when I'm just playing." 

Dewiddle is a single mom who manages the doctor appointments and makes sure Weddle Dallas gets to be involved in activities, school and community events. Her family and church family have been a great support to her, especially when she needs to drive to Memphis to take Dallas Weddle to his doctor appointments every other weekend. Her sister and brother help with the weekly appointments visits.  

"My family, church family and friends, definitely keep me going," Dewiddle said. "Seeing Dallas with such a positive upbeat attitude, never complaining and taking everything in stride ... keeps me going.

"What keeps me going is seeing Dallas with a such a positive upbeat attitude. " Dewiddle said. " Dallas never complains, he takes everything in stride. Seeing his faith in Christ and just praying, "My friends, church family and family definitely keep me going.", being thankful and having gratitude no matter where we go." 

Weddle Dallas was very athletic when he was younger. He enjoyed playing flag football but because he got sick, he had to stop playing. However, he still managed to stay in the game by being the basketball manager at West Bemis Middle School. 

"I hype the team up by saying 'get in the game.'" Dallas said. "I want people to know that I'm going through something but I'm energetic, very positive." I don't think people should see me any different because then I will feel different. I don't know how to explain it but it's not a good feeling." 

When Dallas refills Weddle is refilling water bottles or carrys carrying the team's jerseys to the room, the team members will ask him if he needs any help.

"I'm a team player," Dallas said. He considers himself hard working and doesn't need help, though he appreciates it. 

Weddle looks like a normal kid; with a big smile and strong faith, no one can tell he's sick because of his personality. People don't realize that his schedule is school, basketball  and travel to Memphis every other weekend to do his chemotherapy. IT doesn't give him It's a weekly schedule he has and doesn't have a lot of time to visit his friend, for for birthday parties or weekend getaways. 

April 24 will be a special day for Dallas Weddle because if things go well, that will be is the day he finishes chemo treatment. And he is planning to throw on throwing a "No more chemo" party for his family and friends. Weddle Dallas is counting down the days until his port - an implanted device for chemotherapy - is removed and take a break from his busy weekly schedule.