Killeen boy rings the bell after battling Leukemia for three years and emerging victorious

KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - An 11-year-old boy who had been fighting leukemia for the last three years celebrated his ringing the bell ceremony Friday at Baylor Scott and White.

The sound of the bell symbolizes MJ Dixon’s strength and survival.

“It felt good, and it release a lot of stress,” said Dixon.

His chances of survival were slim and he only had a 23 percent chance of finding a bone marrow donor because of his race and blood type.

It’s something that’s difficult to cope with for an 11-year-old.

“I was tired of going through the pain, the depression, and the emotional place I was in,” said Dixon.

And even more emotional for his mother, Chaundra Dixon.

“This happening to my son, made me realize that I was not better than everyone else. This happening to my son got me off the streets and into church. This happening to my son definitely changed me,” said Dixon.

Popular mainstream rapper, Lil Boosie, a cancer survivor too, supported MJ emotionally and financially from the start.

“I got a heart and me going through cancer---when I saw MJ with what he was going through, it wasn’t about the money. It was about me helping them and being able to help them,” said Torrance Hatch.

But MJ beat the odds by keeping high hopes and his faith first.

“Pray to God, pray before you go to bed, pray in the mornings,” said Dixon.

MJ and his family donated more than $2,000 dollars’ worth of toys to cancer patients at Baylor Scott and White.

The Be the Match organization was also at the celebration to test folks for possible bone marrow matches.

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