By Gavin Boyle
While filming the Season 20 finale of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, judge Howie Mandel shared that his grandson, Axel, is continuing to recover well from his leukemia.
“He’s doing good. It’s a journey and it’s rough at times that I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. But he’s in remission right now, and we just hope and pray and take care of him each and every day,” Mandel told PEOPLE. “Science is fantastic and the people at Children’s Hospital have been wonderful.”
While cancer is never easy, the disease has been especially hard on Axel because he already has an underlying autoimmune issue. The doctors have worked hard throughout the entire treatment process to keep his immune system healthy, including a bone marrow transplant from Axel’s older sister Abbey.
Related: AGT Judge Howie Mandel’s Young Grandson in Remission From Leukemia
“I don’t think people realize that there’s so much that goes into treatment that it’s not just the cancer alone, but it’s also the treatment afterwards and the follow-up,” said Axel’s mom, Jackelyn Shultz. “And it’s a really, really, really long, hard road.”
“We are really fortunate to be where we are right now and for him to be happy and he’s doing well,” Shultz added. “But we’re still dealing with, like, the bumps and the hurdles that go along with the diagnosis and the transplant.”
Shultz first opened up about the cancer diagnosis earlier this month while on the “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” podcast with Mandel, where she explained how having support from her family has been everything while they struggle with this disease.
“We don’t really talk about my son’s health and the struggles going on within the family at all, like publicly,” she told the podcast. “We do with our family, but it’s nice to have that support system. I get phone calls, everyone checks in, we’re all just there supporting each other. We’re a team.”
“All you have when something catastrophic happens in a family, like your blood is there, you know, your family. And you also, when something like that happens, it prioritizes. Nothing matters but the health and welfare of the people you love and the people who are closest to you,” Mandel added. “I know my wife says it brought the family together. I would give anything to not be together with any member of my family to have my grandchild’s health.”
Please keep Axel and his family in your prayers as he continues to recover from his treatment and walk the long road back towards a normal life as a 9 year old.
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