After Carter Simonson was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 5 on Dec. 19, 2013, his parents, Cindy and Cory, were a bit hesitant to ask for help or join a support group.

But eventually they did, and it made a world of difference.

“Be open to support, because you need it at some point along the way,” Cory said. “That’s my greatest takeaway.”

The Simonsons will share more about their experiences with cancer and the importance of having a support network at the Mower County Relay for Life this weekend.

The Simonsons’ journey with cancer started in 2013. For a few weeks, Carter was pale, sounding raspy when he slept, his lymph nodes were swollen and he didn’t feel well. Doctors initially thought it was a viral infection, a bacterial issue or mono. But after doing blood work, they found it was something more serious: cancer. The Simonsons immediately brought Carter to St. Mary’s, where he was diagnosed with leukemia and doctors found a mass in his chest. He immediately began chemotherapy.

The family started a grueling stretch of treatments that saw Carter miss 128 days of kindergarten. The time was challenging for the Simonsons, as Cindy was pregnant with their third son, Colin.

“Your world just gets flipped upside down,” Cindy said. “You have a new norm; it’s not what it was before.”

Soon, the Simonsons started leaning on the support of family, friends, church and neighbors.

“We could not have gotten this far without the help of all those things combined,” Cindy said.

Neighbors introduced the Simonsons to Brighter Tomorrows, a support group that meets monthly at the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester. Though Cory admits he was hesitant to seek help and a support group, it was the best decision the family made.

“It’s like an extended family now,” he said.

Though family and friends have been supportive, Cory said it’s vital to be able to share and learn from people experiencing the same thing.

Thanks to nominations from family and friends, the Simonsons saw a dream come true in March. Carter and his family traveled to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Give Kids the World in Florida. And the kids enjoyed their first plane ride.

Carter, now 7, said the trip was “pretty cool.” Cindy said Carter and his brothers Colin, 1, and Caden, 4, didn’t want the trip to end.

“It was a good time when he was feeling good,” Cindy said. “It was just a good time as a family to go.”

Cory said it was a great time to focus on the entire family, as the other boys — Caden especially — have had to spend time with family and friends during Carter’s treatments.

After months of treatments, Carter is now taking chemo at home each night and goes to the hospital for chemo and spinal taps about once a month. He’s scheduled to continue chemo through April 2017.

“He is doing really well,” Cindy said. “He’s on track.”

Carter plans to talk at the Relay for life about “the hard things of going through cancer.” One difficult part was the treatments keeping him in and out of the hospital, but it was also difficult to lose his hair.

“When I was bald, I felt good when I knew some people around me who were also bald,” Carter said.

Cindy and Cory thanked the doctors and nurses at Mayo Clinic and St. Mary’s for their work, and they said they’re lucky to have a highly regarded medical facility near their home.

The Simonsons now live in Rochester, though Cory grew up in Grand Meadow, where his father still lives. Cory works for Broadway Residence and Suites, and Cindy owns her own commercial cleaning business, C Two Shining C.

The family has been involved with the Steele County Relay for Life, and they are excited to share about their experiences this weekend in Austin.

“Put trust in your doctors. Rely on family members, people who want to help,” Cindy said. “You do need help with everyday things when you’re stuck in the hospital.”