TAMPA, Fla. — According to the American Cancer Society, around 9,620 children under the age of 15 are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in the United States in 2024. To ensure that no family struggling with childhood cancer fights alone, a Tampa Bay family has founded an organization that offers peer support for families dealing with childhood cancer.

Vincent and Luby Myrthil always stressed the importance of education while raising their young family. However, they were not prepared for their son Alexander to be diagnosed with cancer.

"(Alexander's) nickname is Papou’s, and he's our cancer survivor,” said Luby.

In 2014, when Alexander was diagnosed, Luby was pregnant with her third child.

“Going through the treatment, you start to realize, man, this is a whole, this is a family thing. He's the one that's fighting it. But the family gets affected. So the support is paramount,” said Luby.

“I guess the toughest thing was not knowing what to do,” said Vincent.

After being affected by cancer, she and her husband founded a non-profit organization called Papou’s Mouse to help support other families.

Vincent stated that he intended to establish a space specifically for fathers within the organization.

“For me, it's I really had no one else to relate to,” said Vincent.

The Myrthils formed a bond with another family who has also been affected by childhood cancer.

“Being able to meet Vincent, you know, he's been, like, kind of a mentor to me,” said John Cephus.

After two years of battling osteosarcoma, John and Sheena Cephus’s 11-year-old son Elijah relapsed and had to have his leg amputated.

“You know, you go through a journey and then you don't understand where the end is,” Sheena Cephus said.

Whether it’s through hospital visits, rides to activities, daycare assistance, or just someone to vent to, Sheena says being connected to Papou’s Mouse Incorporated has made her journey smoother. Elijah says he enjoys his new friendship with Alexander and his family.

The Myrthil and Cephus families. (Spectrum News)

“I started feeling more comfortable around them and started having someone to relate to,” said Elijah Cephus.

Both families are involved in the step team called ‘The Alpha Sphinx Boys’.

After Elijah is fitted with his new prosthetic leg and has time to adjust, he hopes to join them.

“Believing is the most important thing about facing something like this. Long as you believe in yourself, you can do it,” said Elijah.

Now, with Papou’s Mouse incorporated behind him, that belief is even stronger.

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the second leading cause of death in children between the ages of 1 to 14.

In 2024, it is expected that about 1,040 children under the age of 15 will die from cancer.

However, it is worth noting that the cancer death rate has significantly reduced by over 50% from 1970 to 2021 in both children and adolescents, thanks to significant improvements in treatment and high participation in clinical trials.