SUMMERFIELD, N.C. -- A 10-year-old battling leukemia is not alone in his fight; the Wake Forest University basketball team is rooting him on. Johnny Van Kemp was diagnosed with cancer nearly three years ago.
"Just try my best and I never give up, some days are hard some days are easy, but I just try and get through it," Johnny said.
His parents said they were shocked when they learned Johnny's diagnosis.
"Then they told us he had leukemia and then the world swallowed me up. It was not a good day," Johnny's mom Sharon Van Kemp said.
"It was innocence lost in that moment because we had to quickly take a 7-year-old and explain a lot of things that no 7-year-old should hear," his dad John Van Kemp said.
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Johnny is currently in remission, but he still has just more than 100 days of chemotherapy treatments to go. Just last week, he got an extra boost of support from his favorite basketball team.
"It's my favorite team because first because I met them, and I go to the hospital for Wake Forest so I have to like cheer for them and I like to watch them play," he said.
Johnny and his dad got to go to one of WFU's practices and then a game. At practice, the team gave the 5th grader a signed basketball and a t-shirt. The players also prayed with him and the coach even named a play after him.
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"I never give up and I'm not going to and they just help me since I just have a little road to go," Johnny said. "It just makes me feel like I can get through this and people are supporting me."
"Just thank you, that your support has been amazing and made a big difference in a little boy's life. It made him stronger," Sharon said.
Johnny's dad said the family will never forget those moments with the team. He said the family plans on throwing a big celebration once Johnny finishes his chemo treatment and they plan on inviting the entire basketball team.
"You just don't believe there's a finish line, it's just unbelievable," John said.
To learn more about Johnny's journey, click here.
