Dance, a form of nonverbal communication, can be pretty powerful. Dancers often express their feelings and emotions through dance, conveying a message to the audience.
When people are able to freely move their bodies without judgment, it’s like speaking without using words. Through dance, the father in the following story gave his toddler son hope during a very difficult time in their lives…
Kristian
Spending one month in the children’s hospital with his son isn’t how Kennith Thomas pictured he’d spend his summer. But his son Kristian, who was born with Down syndrome and a blood disorder, was more susceptible to developing leukemia.
Cancer Diagnosis
He was diagnosed with cancer over the summer and was admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “The doctors told us that he could develop leukemia. We just didn’t think it would be this soon,” Thomas told NJ Advance Media.
Encouragement
“We were praying that it didn’t happen, but it did. From there, I kind of went into quarterback mode for my family,” he added. In order to encourage Kristian as he was being treated for acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), Thomas decided to dance for him in the hospital.
Video
In Thomas’ initial video, he danced for Kristian to Ciara’s song “Level Up,” while Kristian clapped and smiled. Thomas owns a dance studio, while his wife Josilyne is a photographer, so recording the special moment seemed like a natural thing.
Dance Moves
In the video, Kristian clapped along as his father danced, and in his own way, he mimicked his father’s dance moves with his hands. It was clear he was enjoying watching his dad put on a special performance just for him.
During the time that Kristian was undergoing treatment, Thomas’ Instagram account grew from 5,000 followers to 73,000 in December 2018. He was dancing for Kristian throughout the hospital stay and using the routines to practice his passion and keep his son entertained and able to focus on something positive.
Positive Atmosphere
“I just want to keep him as calm and happy at all times, to continue the positive energy,” Thomas told NJ Advance Media. In an update, he told them that “[Kristian] isn’t showing any signs of weakness.” “I think the type of atmosphere we’re setting for him is very important.”
Sign Of Hope
For a family that was going through a draining and stressful month, the time that Thomas danced for Kristian, lifted the family’s spirits. Thomas’ dance moves served as a sign of hope for Kristian and aimed at turning around his health.
Good News
Eventually, the support Thomas showed his son paid off. In November, Thomas and Josilyne received the news that Kristian, who was diagnosed with AMKL at 15 months old, was now cancer free, according to Today.com.
Joy
“It was the most glorifying thing you could ever feel,” Thomas said. “When your 1 year old is going through a huge battle, as a parent you want to take their place- you don’t want them to have to suffer.”
Returning Home
After spending more than 30 days in the hospital for his first round of chemotherapy and treatment, Kristian was able to go home. “He was going home that day,” Thomas recalled. “His levels were up and we were going home- it all fell into place, so I put the video out there and it just caught fire.”
Ciara
The video even got the attention of Ciara, after it went viral on Instagram, garnering more than 2 million views. Soon, the family got a response from Ciara herself. After being moved by Thomas’ video, Ciara reached out to Josilyne Thomas about surprising Kennith and Kristian.
Support From Ciara
“Today I had one of the best times in my life,” Ciara tweeted after her visit with the family at their dance studio. “I got to meet the Rock Star Kristian! I didn’t want to let him go!! He was so cuddly.”
Visit
She continued saying that he’s surrounded by an abundance of love. “He radiates love! He’s a true warrior! I feel so blessed being with him and his family!” Ciara explained that while Kristian is in remission, he still has one more big step left.
Prayer
Kristian’s fight isn’t over and he still needs other rounds of chemotherapy and will see a doctor again. “Let’s all continue to lift this angel up in prayer! His family too!” she wrote. Ciara isn’t the only celebrity who showed support for Kristian during his treatment.
Celebrities
The rapper Common also shared Thomas’ initial video on Twitter, calling it “beautiful.” Christopher Reid of Kid ‘N Play sent his congratulations to the family when Thomas announced that Kristian’s cancer was gone.
Connecting With Others
Thomas says that putting celebrity support aside, his family has enjoyed connecting with other families who are facing a cancer diagnosis in their family, or a challenging situation of their own. As Thomas shared his son’s story, others felt compelled to open up and share their struggles.
Support
Besides celebrities, thousands of people reached out to the Thomas family on Instagram to show their support. “We’ve been given the opportunity to speak life into people and motivate others to never give up and continue the fight no matter what they’re facing,” Thomas told Today.com.
Bringing Awareness
He explained that he and his wife hope to use their social media platform to bring awareness to pediatric cancer and advocate for other hurting families. The rest of the Thomas family consists of Alianna, 14, Kaleb, 9, Javion, 4 and Kristian, 20 months.
Dance Studio
While Kristian awaits his next round of chemotherapy, the family is enjoying being together and keeping the dance studio in order. They canceled summer camp offerings, as the family is still juggling household expenses along with hospital bills. They are currently collecting donations through their studio’s website- TheLevelDance.com.
