Man in remission learns he developed incurable cancer

An area man who fought and beat cancer last year found out last week that he again has cancer and this time it is incurable.

Waylon Day Child, 35, who spent nine months in Seattle last year successfully battling lymphoma, was told the news last Tuesday that he has incurable lung cancer and doctors think he has about a year to live, his mother, Noreen Day Child, said.

Her son started feeling sick again, she said, so he went to the medical center at Rocky Boy and the doctors gave him the bad news about him developing a fast-growing lung cancer.

Waylon Day Child went to Great Falls Thursday, where he is supposed to start seven days of chemotherapy to extend his life, so he can spend more time with his family, his mother said, adding that though he is scheduled to start the procedure, he is still deciding if he wants to go through chemotherapy again.

“He is trying to keep happy … spending time with his children,” Noreen Day Child said, adding that her son has a wife, Terissa, and four children, Tyra, 13, Jalissa, 12, Kalissa, 4, and Waylon Jr., 2.

Day Child said she is appreciative of all the support the community, including through Taco John’s and Pizza Hut fundraisers, gave her son and family last time.

An account is still open in her son’s name at Independence Bank, Day Child said, adding that donations will go toward continuing medical costs and expenses for the family to travel to Great Falls.

She also said she would like this to serve as a reminder to other people that if anyone in their lives are feeling sick, they need to go to the doctor — keep going to the doctor until they find out what is wrong.

“Trust your instincts,” Day Child said.