September 20, 2026 | By Atrium Health Foundation | In Events
For Bran, “Keep Pounding” is more than a mantra. It’s something he has embodied throughout every step of his cancer journey.
Diagnosed in March 2024 with a rare form of Stage 3 extrarenal nephroblastoma, or Wilms tumor, that had developed outside his kidney, Bran’s treatment journey at Atrium Health Levine Children’s was complex from the very beginning. He started chemotherapy and responded well, allowing his care team to move forward with surgery. About six months after his diagnosis, surgeons removed a tumor that had grown to roughly the size of a baseball. Radiation followed, and for a time, it seemed like the worst was behind him.
Then the cancer returned. The disease had spread to parts of Bran’s abdomen and lungs, requiring another round of chemotherapy and radiation. Once again, Bran responded to treatment. But subsequent scans revealed another spot in his abdomen, along with persistent spots in his lungs. His care team recommended a stem cell transplant alongside high-dose chemotherapy.
On March 13, 2026, exactly two years after his diagnosis, Bran underwent his stem cell transplant. The intensive treatment meant a month’s stay in the hospital, followed by a difficult recovery for Bran and all who love him.
But through every setback, Bran has continued to move forward.
“I hope people understand that Bran has been a fighter this whole time,” said his dad, Thomas. “Even when his cancer came back more than once, he kept saying he had to just do a little bit more. He never let it hold him down.”
His mom, Jaime, saw that same strength in the way Bran cared for the people around him. “No matter how tired, sick, or how much pain he was in, he’s always making the nurses laugh and trying to brighten everyone else’s day,” she said. “That is the kind of strength I pray for daily. He’s an inspiration to everyone who meets him.”
That determination was met by a care team committed to supporting Bran and his entire family through an extraordinarily difficult journey. “His team at Levine Children’s has been better than we could have hoped for,” Thomas shared. “Dr. Erin Trovillion has been on top of his care every step of the way, and his clinic nurses are like his best friends when he is there for a visit.”
Through surgeries, treatments, hospital stays, and uncertain days, those relationships became a source of comfort and familiarity for Bran and reassurance for his family.
“They are almost like a second family to us,” Thomas said. “We are grateful and appreciate everything they have done for him and us.”
Today, Bran is looking ahead. This summer, his family received the news that there is no evidence of cancer. While he continues to manage side effects from his transplant and takes a maintenance chemotherapy pill, 11-year-old Bran is in sixth grade and excited to be doing the things he loves, like playing video games, spending time with his brother and sister, hanging out with his cat, Marshmallow, and cheering on the Carolina Panthers.
On Sunday, September 27, Bran will have a new moment to celebrate as he takes part in the 16th Annual Keep Pounding 5K, presented by Rodgers Builders, Inc. Hosted in partnership with the Panthers, the event raises funds for cancer research and programs that support patients and families at Atrium Health Levine Cancer and Atrium Health Levine Children’s in Charlotte.
For Bran, taking part in the race is a chance to give back to the community that has cared for him — and to help other families keep pounding, too.