Who is Dom?

Dominic Thomas Beltran entered this world and our hearts July 12, 2006.  He was a healthy, happy baby until about 17 months later.  He started getting fevers with no known cause.  Blood tests indicated that something was wrong, but we still didn’t know what.  An abdominal ultrasound revealed a softball sized tumor on his right kidney.  Doctors suspected neuroblastoma, a rare but lethal form of pediatric cancer.  After further testing and a biopsy, their suspicions were confirmed. Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

Dominic endured numerous rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, radiation, a major surgery to remove the tumor, and painful antibody therapy.  Doctors declared him No Evidence of Disease (NED), but the cancer returned just one year later.  Treatment began all over again and continued for the next three years.

Despite being in and out of hospitals for the majority of his short six years, Dominic lived life with a smile on his face. He was a STRONG-willed, green-eyed boy, who liked new toys, eating waffles, playing soccer and the color green.  He loved to play with his cousins and friends, and cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Yankees. The oldest of three boys, he was an amazing son and big brother.

Dominic took his last breath, with his mom and dad by his side, February 7, 2013.  He taught us how to “stay strong.”  Strong For Dom Foundation was created to sustain his memory and strength, while raising awareness and funds for neuroblastoma research.

To read Dominic’s Caring Bridge journal, written by his mother Margaret, click HERE.