Kids are born to live and experience the beauty of life. The days of pain and sorrow are meant to be saved for the very end. Unfortunately, sometimes the opportunities of a healthy life are cut short. Parker Kress, a freshman at Pleasant Valley High School, is one of the lucky kids to say he is a cancer survivor.

Since October of 2014, Kress battled Ewing’s Sarcoma. He fought this cancer in his leg and was told by doctors he would need to get his limb amputated. This resulted in many visits to Iowa City to get treatment done at the university’s hospital.

On Oct. 21, 2016, Kress announced that the infection on his leg disappeared and he will no longer have to get his leg amputated. His amputation was scheduled for this upcoming Tuesday. Kress continues to prove to everyone he knows just how to kick cancer’s butt.

The Pleasant Valley Community, over the past few weeks, dedicated so much time and support into helping Kress and his family. The woman who made this incredible fundraising happen is Stacie Giesecke. She continues to encourage the student body to help support their fellow classmate through his battle. She claims, “The school involvement with Parker’s journey is incredible. The boys’ and girls’ cross country teams wore yellow laces at their MAC, the football team had yellow stickers for their helmets, and the football staff wore yellow visors.”

The school district also approved “Power for Parker” shirts to be sold at the high school and various elementary events which shows the Kress family how much the community cares. The profit made from the shirts will greatly help pay for all the medical bills to come.

“The financial support really helps my family and relieves some stress.” Kress thankfully states how much he appreciates all the generous donations on this journey.

Giesecke heard about Kress’s story from various people throughout the community. She realized how difficult his life must be with having to deal with cancer. So she took it upon herself to make sure everyone at Pleasant Valley supports Kress in some way. “Many people had no idea who Parker was, especially the upperclassmen, since he missed so much of school last year. I wanted his story to be known so he would not have to fight this battle alone,” Giesecke said.

The expression of Kress’s face at the assembly proved to the Spartans how much this young boy appreciates all the students’ support. “The PV community has been amazing with the support, whether it’s the t-shirts or the assembly. They have shown how much they care,” Kress adds.

Miracles do happen, and thankfully this young man received the miracle of a lifetime. His 17 chemotherapy treatments have all been worth it, as Kress is now looking forward to the next steps in his healing process. “I am very thankful to not have surgery. It would have been a life changing surgery with a hard recovery. I’ve already had six surgeries and this one would have been the hardest surgery yet,” Kress explains.

He still battles a severe lung condition which, as of now, is benign but still a great concern. His next appointment is scheduled two weeks from now. Since his leg is no longer an issue, his lungs are now available to be examined for further research.

Kress is now a children’s advocate for fighting cancer. His fight continues to inspire other kids who are still battling cancer. He wants his voice to be heard, so the children know they are not alone and they will get through it. “I want to let the kids battling cancer to know that they should always look on the bright side of things, even if it’s hard. The last thing you want to be feeling while fighting cancer is down. Find a silver lining in every situation.” Kress addresses the emotional difficulties of battling cancer as a child.

At such a young age, Kress already understands the delicate nature of life and how easily it can be taken away. We all need a little bit of Kress in us. His strength and ability to conquer cancer are inspiring and have already made others more aware and thankful for the lives they were given.

“The emotional support keeps me motivated and encourages me to never give up.”

Parker Kress is a fighter and a survivor. Cancer will never discourage him from living the healthy life he deserves. Cherish every moment…and encourage others to do the same.

Power for Parker, Spartans!

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