Related links
Friends and family who know Shae Buchanan say he can light up a room with his smile.
On a recent family vacation he shows his love for animals by making friends with a penguin.
But his signature grin is becomes a megawatt smile when he shares the spotlight with his horse named Texas.
Photos capture the 22-year-old's life before it was interrupted by a massive cancerous growth, a result of a rare form of Lymphoma.
Words his mother Mary Christy Buchanan did not want to hear, "The cancer he has is very rare, which we just found out last week."
Following surgery, doctors didn't offer his cousin Sandra much hope. They told the family to pray.
"The only thing that's going to save him right now is a miracle."
The miracle happened when Shae survived surgery. His mother hasn't left his side.
But it is the love of his king-sized 12-year-old thoroughbred horse that Shae talks about to his mother in his waking moments. "He said just like I'm your baby he said Texas is his baby."
Mary Christy has watched her baby and his brother grow from boys to men, but this is one hurt that mother cannot wash away.
The vibrant light that shines from family photos does not resemble what Shae looks like today after surgery and chemo.
"And of course he can't smile...so I just really want to see that smile again."
Texas can make Shae smile, but he may lose his horse, his home, and everything else because young Shae had no health insurance. And his mom stopped working to be at his side.
The folks at Essay Farms are trying to raise money to keep Texas cared for while Shae is on the mend. They consider Shae like family.
The love of Texas may be distracting Shae from the perils of cancer - but it is priority one for his mother.
"The help that we need now is to get him to a cancer treatment facility that is a little bit more familiar with his rare cancer that he has."
You can take action to help Shae and Texas this weekend. There are two fundraisers Sunday:
The first is a brunch at Burton's Grill in Virginia Beach at 11am.
The second is from 2 until 8pm at Tropicana Restaurant and Bar.
On a recent family vacation he shows his love for animals by making friends with a penguin.
But his signature grin is becomes a megawatt smile when he shares the spotlight with his horse named Texas.
Photos capture the 22-year-old's life before it was interrupted by a massive cancerous growth, a result of a rare form of Lymphoma.
Words his mother Mary Christy Buchanan did not want to hear, "The cancer he has is very rare, which we just found out last week."
Following surgery, doctors didn't offer his cousin Sandra much hope. They told the family to pray.
"The only thing that's going to save him right now is a miracle."
The miracle happened when Shae survived surgery. His mother hasn't left his side.
But it is the love of his king-sized 12-year-old thoroughbred horse that Shae talks about to his mother in his waking moments. "He said just like I'm your baby he said Texas is his baby."
Mary Christy has watched her baby and his brother grow from boys to men, but this is one hurt that mother cannot wash away.
The vibrant light that shines from family photos does not resemble what Shae looks like today after surgery and chemo.
"And of course he can't smile...so I just really want to see that smile again."
Texas can make Shae smile, but he may lose his horse, his home, and everything else because young Shae had no health insurance. And his mom stopped working to be at his side.
The folks at Essay Farms are trying to raise money to keep Texas cared for while Shae is on the mend. They consider Shae like family.
The love of Texas may be distracting Shae from the perils of cancer - but it is priority one for his mother.
"The help that we need now is to get him to a cancer treatment facility that is a little bit more familiar with his rare cancer that he has."
You can take action to help Shae and Texas this weekend. There are two fundraisers Sunday:
The first is a brunch at Burton's Grill in Virginia Beach at 11am.
The second is from 2 until 8pm at Tropicana Restaurant and Bar.
