BATON ROUGE — What began as a slight limp in a 16-month-old toddler has turned into a fight for survival—one that has uprooted an entire family and placed them hundreds of miles from home.
Briana White says she will never forget the morning her son, Jimmie Jr., woke up unable to walk normally.
“He was walking and playing with his siblings just fine the day before,” White said. “That morning, it was like his left side just gave out.”
At first, she assumed he may have slept wrong. But within hours, fear replaced uncertainty when her baby nearly collapsed.
“I caught him before he hit his head,” she recalled. “But it was terrifying. Something wasn’t right.”
From a Limp to Paralysis in Days
White rushed her son to the emergency room, where doctors ran X-rays, bloodwork, and urine tests. She was told everything looked normal. The diagnosis: antalgic gait, a temporary limp.
“They told me he’d just get back up and walk again,” she said.
But he didn’t.
Within two days, Jimmie Jr.’s condition rapidly worsened. The weakness spread from one side of his body to the other. Soon, he could no longer crawl, stand, roll over—or move the lower half of his body at all.
“It happened so fast,” White said. “In a matter of days, my baby was completely paralyzed from the waist down.”
A Frightening Misdiagnosis
Four pediatricians examined Jimmie Jr. at his pediatrician’s office. After testing his reflexes, sensation, and response to cold, they delivered devastating news: they suspected Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks the nervous system, often starting in the legs and moving upward.
He was rushed to Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge.
A spinal tap revealed dangerously elevated protein levels in his spinal fluid—580, compared to a normal level of about 30—seemingly confirming the diagnosis.
Doctors immediately began IVIG treatments to prevent the disease from spreading to his vital organs. There were discussions of months of physical therapy.
“Scary enough, right?” White said. “But something still didn’t sit right with me.”
“I Know My Child”: A Mother Pushes Back
Despite the diagnosis, White couldn’t shake what she calls her “bad mama gut feeling.”
“I couldn’t let them discharge my baby a second time knowing he was still paralyzed,” she said. “I know my child.”
On October 17, White broke down in tears while advocating to the neurologist, insisting something more was wrong.
The next morning—October 18—an MRI was ordered.
That date carries painful significance.
“It was my mom’s birthday,” White said. “She passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2020.”
As White prepared to leave the hospital briefly to check on her other children, she was stopped by a nurse.
“They told me I couldn’t leave,” she said. “That’s when my heart dropped.”
The Words No Parent Is Ready to Hear
Doctors asked White to sit down.
The MRI had revealed the truth.
“They found an extra-large mass pressing on my son’s spine,” she said. “The tumor had grown fingers that wrapped around his spinal cord.”
The mass extended into his chest and was causing immense pressure—explaining the paralysis, pain, and sudden loss of movement.
“I tried to tell myself it couldn’t be cancer,” White said. “But it was. It was my baby.”
Emergency Surgery and a Devastating Diagnosis
To perform a biopsy, surgeons had to conduct a laminectomy, removing part of Jimmie Jr.’s vertebrae to access the tumor, then replacing it. He was placed in a rigid brace for more than two months.
“I couldn’t believe this was all happening. It happened so fast. The biospy came back with results,” she shared.
On October 24, the diagnosis was confirmed:
Neuroblastoma cancer.
The following day, October 25, Jimmie Jr. and his mother were transported to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, where he began aggressive treatment.
What Is Neuroblastoma?
Neuroblastoma is a rare and aggressive childhood cancer that develops from immature nerve cells, most commonly affecting infants and young children. It often begins in the adrenal glands but can form anywhere along the spine, chest, abdomen, or pelvis.
In severe cases, tumors can compress the spinal cord, leading to paralysis—exactly what happened to Jimmie Jr.
Treatment often includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and long-term monitoring.
A Family Torn Apart by Distance and Fear
The Whites are a close-knit family of seven, now navigating this unimaginable journey together.
At the heart of the family are Jimmie Sr., the father and sole provider, Briana White, a devoted mother fighting tirelessly for her son, and Theresa, Jimmie Sr.’s mother, who has stepped in as a crucial support system.
Their home is filled with the laughter and love of five children: Jayden (14), Jurnee (10), Jaeleigh (4), who is autistic and nonverbal, Jocelyn (3), and their youngest, Jimmie Jr. (currently 18 months), now bravely battling cancer.
While Briana and Jimmie Jr. remain in Memphis, the rest of the family is split between hospital rooms and home.
“We’re separated from our kids, separated from our home,” White said.
Jimmie Sr. is the family’s sole provider and has missed significant work to support his son.
“We’re drowning,” White said quietly. “Bills don’t stop because your baby has cancer.”
White says she and her young son are in Memphis fighting but this isn’t just their story.
“This story includes the whole family. All of my kids are deeply affected by this. This is happening to all of us. It’s all of our story.”
Financial Strain and Emotional Collapse
Jimmie Jr. has already completed four rounds of chemotherapy, but the cost of life outside the hospital walls has mounted.
The family has fallen behind on their mortgage. Another payment is approaching. Daily expenses continue.
“We don’t have a village,” White said. “It’s just me, my husband, and my mother-in-law.”
She also struggles to support her other children emotionally—especially her older kids watching their baby brother fight cancer from afar, and her nonverbal autistic daughter whose requires constant attention.
“I’ve lost myself,” White admitted. “I’m trying to advocate for him, be there for my kids, and hold myself together—but it’s hard.”
“We Need Help”
White says she’s spoken to families at St. Jude who have lost everything while caring for their sick children.
“I don’t want that to be our story,” she said.
At just 30 years old, with a 31-year-old husband, White says they are doing the best they can as young parents facing unimaginable circumstances.
“I’m feeling so emotional,” she said. “How do I protect my baby from cancer?”
To survive financially, the family has created a GoFundMe and a wish list to help cover basic living expenses while they remain in Memphis for treatment.
“We need help,” White said. “We really do.”
They also have an Amazon wish list to help with immediate needs.
How to Help
The White family is asking the community for support—whether through donations, sharing their story, or simply keeping them in prayer.
As Briana White continues to sit bedside with her baby boy, she says she holds on to one thing above all else: Hope.
“I’ll never stop fighting for my child,” she said. “Never.”
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