Liam V.

Liam was brave, strong, and oh so handsome. His contagious laughter and joy never diminished, strength beyond measure always persevered no matter what he endured.

Siblings Name and Birthdays: Quincy and Addison

Parents Names: Tim and Julie

"Our family decided to join BuckeyeThon because we are huge fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes and are big supporters. Liam loved Brutus and the Buckeyes and I know he would love the idea of us being involved. Any chance we get, we love sharing his story and helping to raise awareness for pediatric cancer. Children's and The James became like second homes to us during treatment and we cannot be more appreciative of them both. We want to give back to each of them and help families just like ours." - Julie, Liam's mother

Liam was always making his family laugh and brought them so much joy everyday. One memory that stands out to them, is his third birthday party. He wanted a firefighter party. Days before the party he would wake up and put on his firefighter costume and wear it all day until bed. On the actual day, the local firefighter station brought a fire truck to our house along with an ambulance. They allowed Liam to be an honorary firefighter. He got to honk the horn, do all the sirens, and even spray the hose. He loved every second and took the jobs so seriously. On top of all that, Brutus showed up to his house on a fire truck! Brutus brought him a present and played with him and the entire neighborhood. Truly a dream come true for our little Buckeye!

“Throughout the Varughese Family’s involvement in BuckeyeThon, I have had the honor and pleasure of getting to know Liam’s parents, Tim and Julie, and his siblings, Addie and Quincy. Addie and Quincy are two of the funniest, more energetic and kindest kids I have ever met. They bring so much energy to BuckeyeThon and always make sure we are having a fun time together! They are the older siblings of Liam and it is truly heartwarming that they devote their time to this cause to ensure Liam’s memory lives on.”

Liam's Cancer Journey:
Liam was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in May 2015. He had treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital for 1.5 years including chemo therapy, radiation, surgeries, blood transfusions, stem cell transplant and immunotherapy. He was declared NED (no evidence of disease) in January 2016, but relapsed 5 months later. The tumor then had spread to his brain and was untreatable. He was a fun, lovable kid that always had a smile on his face and spread laughter and joy everywhere he went. His last few months were spent with his family, enjoying the time he had left.