Killeen boy emerges victorious after three-year battle with Leukemia

KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - A young Killeen boy who has been fighting Leukemia the past three years can finally say he’s cancer free.

Michael “MJ” Dixon, 11, has had a tough journey to get where he is today, but his strong will help him along the way.

Family members said an immense weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

His chances of survival were slim because there is only a 23 percent chance of finding a bone marrow donor because of his race and blood type, but despite not finding a match, he still was able to beat the odds.

“I feel good. I can finally do everything I did way before I had cancer, I feel like a free person,” said Dixon.

The 11-year-old was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was just 8 years old and has been fighting ever since.

The illness robbed him of his ability to walk, play with friends and most importantly it robbed him of his locs.

It’s something Dixon said he’s connected to and was devastated about when he lost his hair after multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

“I was mad, sad, because it took two years to grow out my dreads,” said Dixon.

MJ’s mother, Chaundra Dixon, said her options were getting slim.

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She said she took the risk of putting her son on a trial drug, called Blinatumomab that doctors recommended, not knowing it would get rid of MJ’s cancer cells.

“The doctor was just looking at me and he said, ‘I got to tell you. You are one tough mama and he’s a tough kid. He took a lot of chemo.’ Even when his body couldn’t take the chemo,” said Dixon.

Dixon said what helped him through the process is high faith and support from the community.

Even celebrities that could relate to Dixon were there for him in his time of need.

Popular mainstream rapper, Lil Boosie, beat kidney cancer and understood Dixon’s challenges.

“He’s looking way better. He told me, ‘I beat cancer Boosie.’ He was so happy,” said Boosie.

Boosie said he collaborated with Dixon’s family for donor match events, helped with medical bills and motivated Dixon during this tough journey.

“Keep good faith. It’s not the end, I don’t even care if they say it’s the end. They thought MJ would not make it. So I say keep good faith, and keep laughter around, keep smiles around. I want those kids to know that they could beat this disease,” said Boosie.

But he showed his strength and is ready to motivate others in similar situations.

“Keep fighting, don’t give up, eat healthy, eat fruits and vegetables. Don’t give up and just be you,” said Dixon.

MJ will have his ringing the bell ceremony at Baylor Scott and White in Temple on August 11.

Family members will also have a limo filled with toys for children with cancer.

Boosie said within the next few months, he’ll host a celebration in central Texas for MJ.

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