Learning her mother had terminal cancer in November 2023 was a shock for Jessica Carlson.
Discovering her 9-year-son, Grant, had leukemia this past July, was even more unexpected.
“Grant gets his inspiration from my mom — they are cancer buddies and have formed a bond through this,” said Carlson, of Ramona. “Even though he’s always been a positive little guy, I don’t think he would be as positive if he didn’t have her.”
Describing her eldest son as a “jokester” who likes to make people laugh, Carlson said his positivity inspires her every day, despite his diagnosis of T-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or T-All, a very aggressive blood cancer.
His extensive treatment and multiple infections have called for blood and platelet transfusions, ongoing infusions and continued hospitalizations. He’s also had surgeries for a port and feeding tube.
“Cancer is hard, but I am trying my best to kick its butt!” Grant said. “I am small but mighty.”
He’s also looking forward to a ping pong tournament being held to help his family.
Knowing that Grant has at least 2 1/2 more years of treatment ahead, Anthony Abbott, owner of A Elite Training in Ramona, has planned a Ping Pong Charity Tournament on Saturday, March 1, beginning at noon, at Reds, Whites and Brews.
“It’s an opportunity to help a family and it’s a win-win — we can raise money, keep it local and help a local family,” said Abbott, who went to Ramona High School with the Carlsons.
“Me and a bunch of my friends all play for fun and we all have ping pong tables at our homes,” he said. “It’s different, fun, low overhead, easy to set up and something I’d like to start as an annual tournament.”
Abbott gives special credit to Stephanie and Kylee Heath, close friends of the Carlsons, for doing much of the work putting the tournament together.
“Ramona is known for coming together to help each other. Even though you may have never met this person or this family, you will know somebody that knows them and you want to help,” he said.
Jessica Carlson has been on leave from her job in local government since Thanksgiving to care for her son.
“You have to have the mindset to get through it,” she said. “It’s mentally, physically and emotionally draining — the stress takes a toll on the entire family.”
Since Grant’s immune system is so sensitive — even dirt spores can cause an infection — he is unable to go outside most of the time.
He’s also unable to spend much time with his younger brother, Jack, 7, although they FaceTime daily, Carlson said.
Although she and her ex-husband, Damien Carlson, are divorced, they are on the same page when it comes to their kids, she said.
“We get along really well, and anything the kids need, we work together to make it happen,” she said.
Carlson seldom sees her younger son. Jack is staying with his father, his stepmother, Melissa Wallace, and his stepbrother, since he is still attending school.
The first time Carlson noticed something was wrong was while FaceTiming with Grant when he was on vacation with his grandparents in New York.
She noticed some lumps under his collar bone that she described as looking like “little marbles under his skin.”
She asked her mother to take Grant to the emergency room the next morning. While there, after a myriad of tests, the doctors informed her it might be leukemia.
Carlson said she and Grant’s father took a red-eye flight to New York that night and brought the boys back to San Diego.
The Carlsons met with an oncology team the next morning, and within days treatment was started.
Grant’s initial hospital stay was just over two weeks. His longest has been 63 days.
Carlson said Grant’s diagnosis was almost eight months to the day after she learned of her mother’s cancer.
“She is always going to be ill, but she is doing okay now,” she said.
The Grant receives from friends and strangers helps keep him positive, his mother said. They put all the cards from well-wishers he’s received in his room and on the wall of the house.
Grant’s nickname is “G Money,” and Carlson had T-shirts made saying “His fight is our fight,” and “G$.”
She regularly shows him photos of ers wearing the shirts, and reads him positive left on social media posts.
As soon as she learned of the tournament, she said, “I made sure my fiancé got some ping pong paddles.”
Abbott is hoping for a stellar turnout for his A Pint Pong Charity Tournament.
“Come out and play even if you’ve never played before,” he said. “We want to have as many people as possible there, watching, playing or just hanging out.”
Six tables will be set up for the tournament, with double elimination sets. Doubles will take place after the singles are done.
Entry for singles is $30, with three free tacos included. Paddles and balls will be provided.
Players, spectators and ers are asked to wear orange, the color of for Grant’s type of cancer.
There will be raffle prizes, a silent auction and gear available to purchase. Food will be available from Tacos de Isaac.
The event is all cash, and for ages 21 and up. A kids corral will be set up outside the venue so the younger crowd can watch and enjoy the activities.
“It makes me happy that lots of kind people are helping put this together for me,” Grant said. “I am thankful to have so many ers and people cheering me on in this fight.”
s can be through A Elite or Reds; there is also a QR code. For more information, A Elite, 1530 Main St., 760-214-6866 or Reds, Whites and Brews, 629 Main St., 619-517-2131. Deadline is until the tournament begins.
A GoFundMe has also been set up at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/-grant-through-his-tall-battle?attribution_id=sl:3bca4e5a-8106-46d5-94b8-18c66000b13c&lang=en_US&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp10_t1-amp13_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=email.
