On August 25, South Strabane Police and Firefighters will take to the field to play a friendly softball game for a special cause.

Proceeds from the fourth annual South Strabane Township Charity Softball Game will be donated to the family of Jett Fuller, a three-year-old boy battling AMKL (acute megakaryoblastic leukemia), to help cover medical and hospital expenses.

The game will be played at South Strabane Township Community Park, 750 Floral Hill Drive, Washington.

Jett is the son of Travis and Lexie Fuller of South Strabane Township, and his parents are grateful for the support first responders and the community have given the family since Jett was diagnosed with leukemia on April 15.

“It means a lot and shows how much the community cares about each other. Having Jett means a lot to Lexie and me,” Travis said.

Lexie echoed her husband’s comments.

“We’re so excited. It’s really awesome and we’re so thankful for everyone coming together and doing these things for kids who are really going through it,” Lexie Fuller said. “We’re hoping that during this time Jett will be out of the hospital and able to watch the game. He’s been through a lot.”

Jett’s health problems began on the day of his birth, May 25, 2021.

Travis and Lexie had traveled to Miami, Florida, for a short vacation to mourn the loss of Lexie’s brother, Caleb Lee Jackson, who had died in an accident less than two weeks earlier at the age of 19.

But labor started six weeks early and Jett was born at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

“His white blood cell count was too high, so after he was born he had to undergo chemotherapy to lower his blood cell count,” Lexie said. “But we ended up being stuck in the hospital for 20 days.”

The family was flown by air ambulance from Miami to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where Jett, who has Down syndrome and hyperthyroidism, underwent surgery at one month old. He was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease, a digestive disorder, and had a feeding tube placed for additional nutrition.

AMKL is a rare type of leukemia that most commonly occurs in children with Down syndrome. Since his birth, doctors have been doing routine blood tests.

Jett’s parents noticed he was bruising easily and had nosebleeds the week before he was diagnosed with AMKL on April 15. He was admitted to Children’s Hospital the day of his diagnosis and has since undergone four rounds of chemotherapy. He is scheduled to receive eight rounds.

Lexie said Jett has only been able to come home twice (he misses his big sister, 5-year-old Peyton) and she has spent most of her time at the hospital being with him.

“The first time he was home for 14 days and the second time for eight days,” Lexie said.

Jett’s parents say that despite his health problems, he always smiles.

“He’s honestly the happiest boy ever. He always makes everyone smile. He’s always happy no matter what,” Lexie said. “He loves his action figures, he loves to yell at everyone. And he loves his sister. He watches everything she does and follows in her footsteps.”

In addition to thanking the South Strabane emergency responders who played the benefit game for Jett, the Fullers also thank their family and friends who rallied around them and organized fundraisers, including a recent spaghetti dinner and T-shirt sale with a photo of Jett and the slogan “JettStrong.”

For South Strabane Township Police Officer John Beckus, who pointed out that the police have a 3-0 record against the fire department in softball games, the charity game is an opportunity for the emergency responders to further build their relationships with the community.

And it gives them the chance to help young people in need.

“It is truly an honor to host the Battle of the Badges,” said Beckus. “This is our fourth opportunity to influence our greatest role models – warriors like Jett, who is bravely battling leukemia.”

First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. There will be a children’s tug of war between the fourth and fifth innings. The All American Grill food truck will be on site. Sponsorship is available. For more information, contact South Strabane Police Officer John Beckus at [email protected].