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Triad Teen Who Beat Cancer Three Times To Start New Treatment

Johnny Van Kemp and his family hopes immunotherapy keeps cancer away for good.

SUMMERFIELD, N.C. — At 14, Johnny Van Kemp's beaten cancer three times.

He's hoping a new treatment will keep it away for good.

WFMY News 2 first met Johnny after he beat leukemia the first time back in 2012. Johnny was just seven years old at the time.

"We just wanted to have a normal predictable typical life and sadly it all changed in the blink of an eye seven years ago," John Van Kemp, Johnny's father said.

 Four years later, it came back. Then in October 2018, it came back again. He's in remission now, but his journey is far from over.

"We tried our best to not let this journey define us fighting a life-threatening disease," John Van Kemp said.

On Saturday, Johnny and his family will be flying to Philadelphia to start immunotherapy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

 It's a process that uses his own cells to fight off cancer cells.

"He'll have about five intense days of chemotherapy a significant number of test to make sure Johnny has a strong heart, strong organ, strong blood, strong everything," John Van Kemp said.

After chemo, doctors will put his new and improved cell back in his body. The process will be about 7 weeks.

"Hi everybody. I want to thank you all for your prayers and support. It means everything to me and my family," Johnny Van Kemp said.

Honda Jet heard about Johnny's journey and wanted to help so they are flying the family up to Philadelphia in a private jet.

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