Loidy Araceli Cacoj was born in Samayac, Suchitepíquez, Guatemala on September 18, 1989. At age 12, Loidy started to experience fatigue and the sudden loss of energy prevented her from being able to keep up with her peers. Loidy’s mother knew that this was not the typical behavior of her daughter.

At the local hospital, doctors tested her blood which showed inconclusive results. Loidy was taken to a larger hospital in Guatemala City, and there the blood work showed that Loidy tested positive for leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow.

The doctor in the Oncology Pediatric Division of that hospital knew about the National Institutes of Health and recommended that Loidy come here for treatment. After sending medical records, Loidy was accepted into NIH in June of 2006. Loidy, her 26-year-old brother Edgar, and their mother made their first trip to the United States on September 20, 2006.

Since then, Loidy received a successful bone marrow transplant in mid-January and currently goes to the Clinical Center twice a week to make sure her leukemia stays in remission. For the immediate future, Loidy will need to receive treatment for the next 5 years to ensure her health.

In her free time, Loidy likes to paint and watch telenovelas, Spanish soap operas.

Edgar expresses his gratitude to those he and his family have met at NIH and at The Children’s Inn. His family loves everything about The Children’s Inn—the nice people, the state-of-the-art facility and the computers.

In his words, “Cuando regresamos a Guatemala, voy a extrañar todo—el hospital, The Children’s Inn, y mis amigos a la hospital y TCI.” (Translation: When we return to Guatemala, I will miss everything—the hospital, The Children’s Inn, and my friends at the hospital and TCI.)

Back home they call him "Miracle Boy.''                            

In rural southern Maryland where Joshua Medlin, 14, was first diagnosed with a rare, highly aggressive cancer, doctors didn't give him long to live - a year if he was lucky, said his dad, James Medlin.

But more than a year later, Josh is recovering from his latest battle with Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor, a cancer that primarily strikes adolescent boys and young males.  He makes weekly trips from home to the clinical center at NIH and stayed at The Children's Inn at NIH for several weeks in February and March.

In one long year, the disease has ravaged young Josh's body, affecting nearly every organ. Between multiple surgeries, massive chemotherapy, and the most recent bone marrow transplant, Josh has repeatedly beat the odds.

Josh said he tries to focus on the present, staying healthy and positive. He keeps his friends and family informed through an online diary and signs off each entry with: "God is always with you at those difficult times.''

His father credits their strong faith and persistent advocacy, refusing to give up when medicine failed. Their church, Calvert United Methodist Church, in Hughesville, MD has held lengthy prayer vigils for Josh and his family.

"He is an unbelievable boy,'' said James Medlin. "You have two choices in life, you can kick your feet and swim for your life or you can stop and know that you will drown.''

The Medlins are kicking like crazy. And even when it feels like they are heading upstream, against the tide, the  family is swimming strong.

Younger sister Alexis Medlin, 7, proudly donated her bone marrow to Josh recently, which in itself was a celebration. Doctors had told the family that many patients with the same diagnosis never get well enough to receive a transplant. Not only did he receive the transplant, he was well enough to leave The Inn in early March - his first trip back home since his hospital ordeal.

Between hospital stays, James tries to run his own small construction company.  He and his wife, Gail trade places, keeping Josh company at The Inn and hospital visits.

On the first sunny Saturday in March, James Medlin celebrated the balmy spring weather by buying dozens of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and lemonade for all the families at The Inn and grilling it all for a festive picnic. Then, when James found out that a few dozen volunteers were at The Inn for the day, he bought more food and included them in the fun.

He shrugged off the kind gesture, simply saying, "everyone loves a hot dog.''

Since beginning treatment at NIH in January, the Medlins have become a devoted Inn family, offering support and kindness to other families.

"I love all these kids,'' James said. "It touches my heart to see them here every day.''

The Inn has benefited from their generosity, said Rick Sniffin, The Inn's facilities manager. "James is a wonderful example of how kind and giving our families are to all of us.''