Matt Strahm, Brandon Marsh gave a family from Delco a break from the “hell” of the Battle of Cancer

Matt Strahm was held on Friday afternoon on the dirt of the Citizens Bank Park in his sock feet.

His size 12 crampons were now laid off at Lincoln Hanson, an 8-year-old child from Glenolden who was an All-Star in the Little League last summer before being diagnosed with an aggressive leukemia form. The kid loves phillies, plays the first goal like his favorite player, Bryce Harper, and saves his money for a 3D printer.

He does not know that the cancer with which he was diagnosed on May 20 gives him a terrible chance of survival. His parents did not tell him. Why would they do it, said his father. If they did, the child would go and think about it every day. In addition, how does a father tell his child that his time is limited?

“I asked all my friends how they would say their sons,” said Jay Hanson. “I don’t have it in me. Right now, I’m guilty as accused of hiding myself. But he has no months. He has no years. It is also close to the terminal as you can be. ”

So, instead, they let their boy enjoy moments like this: run around the warning track of Citizens Bank Park in a pair of giant crampons while the major league ball player returns to the clubhouse in a pair of socks.

He gave Strahm a bright green glove to use this weekend with the name of the child scribbled on the middle finger – “because the cancer is zero,” said Lincoln – and a Batundon Marsh bat with his name on the barrel. Lincoln wrote his name on two pairs of crampons, then Strahm played wrestling in a pair and offered them. It was a perfect afternoon with Lincoln’s favorite team.

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“Each day is difficult for me and my wife to put my brave face, and then you have days when you don’t even want to get out of bed, but you have it,” said Jay. “What is great is to do days like that. It breaks the hell in which you are as a father, and you forget it. Since most of the time, I have forgotten that he has had cancer and is in depth [stuff]. “”

Know the dimensions

Hansons learned in May during an oncology exam that leukemia – which Lincoln defeated as toddler – had returned. But it was worse this time.

“The chances were not good,” said his mother, Megan Hanson, a special education teacher in Ridley.

His father read everything he could on the disease, learning in a few weeks that his son was missing time. He asked doctors of the Philadelphia children’s hospital if he was right.

“They didn’t say it out loud,” said Jay Hanson. “They wrote it on a piece of paper. It’s difficult for them too. They are people.”

The father spends hours every day calling hospitals – even those in Europe – to find a way to save his son. Chop helped him connect with the University of Washington to St. Louis, where the Hansons plan to travel this month for an experimental test. They know the chances, but they always go there.

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“I try not to do as much research and be on the phone all day long as I waste my time with him,” said Jay. “But I have to balance it because I really believe in science. Now it comes back to:” Do we have enough time to get there? “”

The glove that Hanson gave to Marsh was in the colors of the dark foundation, a non -profit organization based in the county of Delaware which aims to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and their families.

The Foundation helped the Hansons, but it could – financial resources looking for an apartment in Saint -Louis. The president of the foundation, Cheryl Colleluori, who lost her son because of cancer, often calls Megan simply to speak. Even it helps.

“No one understands unless you cross it,” said Megan. “And you don’t want anyone who goes through it.” It’s the worst club to be a part. She’s there for me. “

Everyone loves Lincoln

Lincoln Hanson was in school programs at school before cancer prevents him this month from starting the third year. He looks at his 3 year old brother, Gunnar, holds the door for others and looks in your eyes when he shakes your hand. And when he beats his fist, don’t forget to explode your hand.

“All those who meet Lincoln love Lincoln,” said his mother. “This is what makes things even more difficult. Because he has to be here. He is special, and I think he could change the world. So we are going to fight to the end, and for the phillies to do it, gives us this additional force.”

Strahm is an ardent competitor, often screaming in the night after locating a crucial round at the end of the round. So perhaps it was normal for the child to wrote his name on the adult of the glove.

“I love it,” said Strahm. “It’s perfect. It’s great.”

The launcher connected with the Hansons through his agent Allan Donato, who worked with Vict and Adidas to make personalized equipment for Strahm. They even made Lincoln its own baseball card. Strahm, a passionate cards collector, asked him to sign one.

Strahm does not strike, so they talked to Brandon Marsh to use a personalized victory bat. Marsh didn’t need to produce. The players spent time with the Hansons before the stick training and returned when they finished with their pre-match work.

Strahm gave Hansons tickets to sit in the stands with his own family. Marsh asked in which section they would be and said he would signal them after getting a blow. He did it after hitting a triple.

The name of the child on his glove was a reminder, said Strahm, with bigger things than baseball. Strahm gave a memory to a family from Delco. He even gave them the cleats of his feet.

“You feel so grateful,” said Jay Hanson. “It’s really great to get out of your own head space for a day. All these days are precious. What Matt Strahm and his family decided to do is above and beyond. He could have said:” It’s gone, guy. Here is your jersey, and we will give you tickets. “I would have been delighted.