It is one of the most joyful photographs yet of 11-year-old Branson Blevins—his bright, infectious smile shining through the weight of a journey few children should ever have to endure. Branson, from Robertsdale, Alabama, is currently in Rome, Italy, where he continues his courageous fight against acute leukemia. Though the path has been filled with difficult lows, recent days have brought moments of hope and resilience, measured not in typical milestones, but in the quiet strength of a child who refuses to give up.

As Branson prepares for his long-awaited bone marrow transplant next month, his mother, Nichole, has been faithfully sharing daily updates from their temporary home overseas. Each message is raw, heartfelt, and full of vivid details that pull readers into the deeply personal reality of their experience.

In a recent update, Nichole shared both the emotional and physical toll of the process: “Today held so much. I completed the last tests I needed to officially become Branson’s donor, so that part is finally behind us. It was at a different hospital from where Branson is, and honestly, I don’t even know how to put it into words… it was hard. The culture here is just different from what we’re used to, and the language barrier makes everything feel 100 times harder. I’ll probably carry some PTSD from today alone, ha. “But on the bright side, Branson had a great day! He did physical therapy and was able to walk a little. He can’t walk down the hallway because of his immune system, but just seeing him move and eat well today made us so happy. After all my tests, I snuck in a quick visit, and it made my whole day.