Community rallies around boy with brain tumor

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — Food brings people together, but folks inside Duke's Old South BBQ Wednesday night didn't just come for the barbecue.

They came for 6-year-old Laythn Elmer.

Watching him interact with other children, it's hard to tell he even has cancer.

Lathyn's stepmom Stephanie Tatom says he is always talking.

"We always say that he doesn't know any strangers cause he loves everybody," Tatom said.

Both his parents say he is a hit with staff at the hospital where he gets his chemotherapy treatments.

"Even on his bad days, he's so happy," Tatom said.

Those bad days usually come at the end of the week, when he and his dad make their weekly trip to Chapel Hill for the treatment.

Lathyn says, not going to school on Friday's isn't always so bad, but sometimes he misses his friends.

"The bug in my head. On Fridays I go and they take pictures of it," Lathyn said. "They see if it's gone away so I can stay at school for a couple Fridays."

He has an inoperable brain tumor called Glioma or like he calls it, a bug in his head.

"He's a fighter," Tatom said. "He does not give up for anything."

The community is not giving up either.

The family's insurance takes care of some of Lathyn's medical costs, but there is a lot their income cannot cover.

Lathyn's dad Dusty Elmer says he is astounded by the way the community has come together.

"He's got a prayer chain of about 20,000 people right now and it's growing," Elmer said.

But what they say isn't growing? Pediatric cancer research.

"Nobody wants to talk about pediatric cancer cause it's devastating and I understand that," Elmer said.

Lathyn's parents hope events like this fundraiser not only bring awareness to their child, but to all kids with cancer.

"They are the least funded area and our kids are dying," Tatom said.

Despite the disease, Lathyn's parents believe he will come out after weeks of chemo treatments standing strong.

"Cancer doesn't define him and it won't ever and neither does his brain tumor," said Tatom. "He's Lathyn, and that's who he's gonna be."

The family is also selling necklaces to continue raising funds for Lathyn. You can CLICK HERE to learn more.