BATON ROUGE — After more than four months in remission, a young boy had one more surgery today to close the chapter on neuroblastoma.
Last year, Jimmie Watkins was diagnosed with neuroblastoma after his family noticed the toddler had a slight limp. He’s had numerous surgeries and chemotherapy since that time and received clear scans back in May, something his family has desperately waited to hear.
Little Jimmie’s port was placed on Oct. 20, 2025 and on July 16, surgeons removed it. This small piece of medical equipment was used to deliver the chemotherapy and medications throughout Jimmie’s journey with neuroblastoma. It was also used for blood lab draws.
“I won’t lie… it hurts knowing my baby had to be cut open one more time and that he’ll carry another scar. But today, that scar represents so much more than pain. It represents survival” his mother shared on social media after the surgery Thursday.
Surgeons removed 95% of the neuroblastoma tumor from little Jimmie’s body back in February. The remaining 5% was left because removing it completely would have been too dangerous, as it was wrapped around his main spinal artery.
Four months of remission is a bittersweet feeling for Jimmie Jr.’s family.
“Every scar on my sweet boy tells a story of courage, resilience, and God’s faithfulness. We will never forget this journey, but today marks another beautiful step forward,” his mother shared.
Even though he is in remission, Jimmie Jr. will need scans every three months to check that things are going in the right direction and that the tumor does not awaken. Next month, he and his family will head back to St. Jude in Memphis for his second set of surveillance scans since he entered remission.
The family is asking for continued support and prayers that Jimmie stays in remission. For anyone wanting to send Jimmie any “NO MO CHEMO” gifts for his celebration, the family has shared a wishlist.
In addition, there is a GoFundMe to help with essential expenses.
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