TEMPLE, Texas — An 11-year-old boy from Killeen celebrated a milestone accomplishment on Friday, Aug. 11, ringing the bell in honor of beating cancer.
At Baylor Scott & White McLane Children's Medical Center in Temple, Texas, community members gathered to show their support as 11-year-old MJ Dixon rang in his achievement.
Dixon was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2021. He said it all started with leg pains, but he quickly became very sick, leading doctors to diagnose him with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
For the next three years, Dixon was in and out of the hospital receiving chemo treatments. After the family was unable to find a bone marrow donor, Dixon's mother took a chance on a trial drug doctors had recommended, and thankfully, it helped.
On Aug. 11, Dixon returned to Baylor Scott & White Children's Medical Center to celebrate, now officially in remission.
Not only was the community there to cheer Dixon on, one of his favorite rappers, Lil Boosie, even came out to show his support.
"It gives every kid hope that we can beat cancer," said Lil Boosie, who has also battled cancer himself. "Hopefully other artists would do the same thing. So, you know, it's just big. And, you know, I've been supporting MJ and we got through so today we rang the bell, so it's special."
Dixon was thrilled to see one of his favorite musicians there to celebrate his achievement.
"He's a celebrity I've wanted to be for a long time, and it's just. It feels so good meeting him," Dixon said.
Lil Boosie said due to his own battle with cancer, he was able to connect with Dixon's story because of the loneliness he remembered feeling.
After Dixon rang the bell in Temple, the celebration continued back home in Killeen.
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