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(WJBK) - If Johnny Hendricks looks comfortable when he's at Beaumont hospital in Royal Oak. The reason is simple; it is a second home.
"When you have to go through something like this, it really isn't a choice," he said. "So when people call you brave, or call you a fighter, you just think of it as you doing what you can to get through it."
Hendricks and his mom first went to Beaumont in Royal Oak in August of 2013. His doctor, Kate Gowans, remembers it well.
"They were coming down Woodward in an ambulance in the middle of the Dream Cruise," Gowans said.
That ambulance brought 11-year-old Johnny in for an emergency surgery. In the process they found unusual bruising. He would be diagnosed with leukemia.
Life would Change forever. But some things would remain the same, after all - he's just a kid.
"The last few days have been a struggle. Hopefully he won't have bad days after we get the medication figured out," said Samantha Hendricks, his mother.
Bad days. But better days on the horizon thanks to The Children's Miracle Network telethon on WOMC.
We are proud to play a small part by taking part today. By 2 p.m. Thursday there was more than $60,000 on the tote board. It is hard not to want to help.
Kids like Johnny and 2-year-old Drew with a brain tumor, need our help.
"They're all unique in their own way, and they are all fun and have a great personality in their own way," said Gowans. "(Johnny) is such a positive kid, his parents are terrific and his attitude has always been a good one.
"He's now had leukemia twice because his leukemia came back, so he has been at this really, non-stop."
"This place has really become a second home," said Samantha. "We can't drive by this place without him wanting to stop to just say hi. Even if he doesn't have to be here. We walk up to the fifth floor and we walk in (and hear) 'Johnny's here, Johnny's here.' They let us walk around and say hi to everyone."
"One of the first things that happened was a child life specialist came into the room and started playing games with me," Johnny said. "She brought in a big container of bubbles and stuff, and we were blowing bubbles for almost an hour. It just made me feel more comfortable there. I just wanted to have fun and play and I didn't think of anything else that was going on."