Twin Brothers Both Diagnosed with Rare Childhood Cancer Just Months Apart, Now in Remission

LATEST UPDATES — When Alisha Openshaw’s two-year-old son Weston was diagnosed with leukemia in 2022, she never imagined that just four months later, his identical twin brother Bennett would receive the same devastating diagnosis.

A Shocking First Diagnosis

Weston had been struggling with constant infections when doctors confirmed he had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The diagnosis left Alisha terrified.

“I really knew nothing about leukemia,” she said. “It was just terrifying to hear that your kid has cancer.”

Doctors told her that Bennett faced a 20% chance of developing the same disease. Initially, she couldn’t bear to think about it.

A Second Blow Four Months Later

While Weston began chemotherapy immediately, doctors also monitored Bennett with blood tests. At first, results were normal, but within months, his tests showed troubling signs. In August 2022, Bennett too was diagnosed with leukemia.

“I had an inkling something bad was coming,” Alisha recalled, explaining why she packed bags for both boys before the hospital visit that confirmed her fears.

Three Years of Treatment Together

For the next three years, the twins endured chemotherapy, feeding tubes, and countless hospital stays. Weston, who developed cancer in his spinal fluid, had to relearn how to walk four times. Bennett, while spared the same complications, still faced grueling treatment.

The boys, too young to fully understand, believed hospital visits and chemo were just part of every child’s life. “They didn’t know any different,” Alisha explained.

A Mother’s Struggle and Support System

Alisha left her job as a paramedic to care for the twins full time, while her husband supported the family financially. To cope, she began sharing their journey on social media under the handle Twincredibles Fam, gaining tens of thousands of followers.

“You create some pretty special bonds when you’re going through such a nightmare,” she said of other cancer moms she met.

Finally, Remission

In 2024, Bennett finished treatment in August, and Weston in October. Both boys, now six, started kindergarten together, cancer-free.

“They don’t remember much of it, but I don’t forget a single second,” Alisha admitted. “I’m just now processing all the trauma we went through.”

Doctors say if the twins remain healthy for five years, they will be declared fully cured.

Looking Toward the Future

While Alisha still worries about relapse, she says the experience has changed her perspective. “You have to grow from this,” she tells herself. “We got through it, and we grew from it.”

The Openshaw family hopes their story raises awareness of the realities of childhood cancer — and the resilience children can show in the darkest of times.

How do you think communities can better support families facing childhood cancer? Share your thoughts in the comments on FatCityFeed.com.