Forsyth family shares son’s childhood cancer journey

Colton was diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma shortly before his fourth birthday and rang the cancer-free bell in August 2023.

FORSYTH, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to recognize children and families affected by cancer.

Colton Poulnott was just three years old when his parents noticed something wasn’t right.

“End of January 2021 he started coughing, never really had a fever or anything like that but you could tell something was going on,” Colton’s dad, Clay Poulnott, said.

At first, doctors treated it like a normal virus. Colton would take steroids and his cough would go away, but it would return after he finished the medication.

After two rounds of steroids, doctors sent Colton to a specialist, where they found a mass near his esophagus.

Colton was diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma just two weeks before his fourth birthday.

He went through two and a half years of treatment.

For his parents, Clay and Rachel, that meant learning how to care for their son through chemotherapy while also balancing life with their other child, Reese.

“It was a lot,” Rachel Poulnott said. “We learned a lot, like as a family, just with him having to go through chemo and then having to give him chemo shots. Like, I didn’t go to school to be a nurse, you know, so that in itself was a lot. And it was truly a family thing because we have another child. It’s hard. You have to try to balance. It was tough.”

In August 2023, after two and a half years of treatment, Colton got to ring the cancer free bell.

His sister, Reese, remembers how much she missed her brother during that time.

“I really missed him a lot, but when he came back he ran into the house and we were both like, Reese, Colton. I was so excited,” she said.

Today, Colton is nine years old and in the fourth grade.

He is now able to enjoy some of the things he loves most.

“I like to play baseball and ride my scooter,” Colton said.

His family says Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is also a reminder that research and treatment continue to depend on support.

They encourage people to give if they can. They hope future treatments will give more children the same chance Colton has.