Acute Myeloid Leukemia - Hematology/Oncology

In August 2018, Holly Harmon noticed a bruise on her 3-year-old son Porter’s arm.

“After I noticed the first bruise, multiple bruises followed without any known cause,” says Holly. "I took him to his pediatrician, and they pricked his finger. We were then told to go to UPMC Passavant."

Once they arrived and were seen at UPMC Passavant, doctors advised Holly and Mark, Porter’s dad, to immediately go to the emergency room at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

“At UPMC Children’s, they did more bloodwork and ran tests. They had to look at Porter’s blood under the microscope. Within 24 hours of our pediatrician visit, the doctors confirmed Porter’s diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia,” says Holly.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare and aggressive cancer that starts in the bone marrow, often in white blood cells called myeloblasts. As abnormal cells increase, they overwhelm healthy cells in the bone marrow and blood.

“We met with Dr. Cooper and discussed Porter’s treatment plan. That day, Porter started chemotherapy treatment at Children’s,” says Holly.

James Cooper, MD, served as Porter’s main oncologist during his treatment, determining that he would need four rounds of chemo. This regimen would require Porter to be in the hospital for a month each round and then home for two weeks in between.

“We lived at Children’s from August 2018 to February 2019," says Holly. "In addition to Dr. Cooper, Porter saw every doctor who rounded on the floor. We had really special nurses who became like family to us. The child life specialist, Hannah, was super important to our family’s journey, too.

“Porter’s tagline throughout treatment was Porter Power, and we all lived by it,” Holly adds.

Hitting Many Milestones

In February 2019, Porter was officially declared cancer-free. Because he was so young during treatment, he doesn’t remember much of it, but the few memories he does have confirm the special support he had.

“I loved getting foot massages when the volunteers would come," says Porter. "I also played soccer in the hallway and went to the playroom with Hannah to hang out. I remember my favorite nurse giving me mints.”

Now in fifth grade, Porter is thriving. He is active and loves playing baseball, basketball, and flag football. He also plays trumpet and is a part of the school choir. In addition to sports and music, Porter is an excellent student with straight A’s.

“Porter hit his five-year cancer-free milestone in 2024," Holly says. "Cam Heyward from the Steelers came to ring the bell with him since he had met Porter when he was going through treatment. It was an amazing day!”

Porter is now a part of the Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Clinic at UPMC Children’s and recently had his first visit. This program focuses on teaching pediatric cancer survivors about their past medical history and promoting a healthy lifestyle, ensuring survivors can live their lives to the fullest extent.

“The survivorship program is amazing,” says Holly. "Not only is it so helpful for Porter, but also for Mark and I as parents.

"Since he was so young during treatment, it’s important for him to learn about his history and experience. We have confidence that Porter has that extra support through this program.”

With Porter thriving, his parents are incredibly grateful for the care he received at UPMC Children’s.

“I have such a strong gratitude toward Children’s because I have my baby boy, who is healthy and strong. The level of care was amazing,” says Holly. "The nurses and doctors went above and beyond to make sure Porter was okay. The fact that he is thriving today is a miracle."

Porter’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.