ARCHBALD, Pa. — In many ways, three-year-old Jaxxon Kochis and two-year-old Abel Kochis from Archbald are just like any other boys their age.
They like to say "cheese" for the camera. They like to use Capri Suns as water guns. They're scared of the Grinch but can't wait for Christmas.
But there's one thing about these brothers that is extremely uncommon. They both are fighting the same type of blood cancer.
Jaxxon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the fall of 2021. Younger brother Abel was diagnosed this past summer.
It turned the whole family's world upside down, including 10-year-old Chloe and 13-year-old Bella.
"Our world was broken, and we had to put it all back together from scratch," Bella said.
"Sometimes, even to this day, we're still in shock over it," said Liz Kochis, mother of Jaxxon and Abel.
It's something that no mother would ever choose their children to bond over, but Liz says it is special to see the two brothers support each other.
"They love comparing their "tubies" as they call it. They are just like best friends. They try getting through it, and even Abel, when he gets sick, Jaxxon helps out; the girls help out. They all just stick together as siblings," said Liz.
"It's definitely hard, especially with grades at times, with the medicine, and surgeries and their chemo. It's definitely really hard, but we manage, and we just make it a part of our everyday lives," Bella said. "We try as much as we can to make them happy because that's all that matters."
We also talked to the boys' doctor from Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital near Danville.
Dr. Ramdas says this type of leukemia is one of the most common childhood cancers, but it is exceedingly rare for two siblings to both have it. We're talking less than .5 percent of cases rare.
Fortunately, the survival rate is high.
Jaxxon is in what they call "maintenance mode" right now. He only needs to get treatment every four to five weeks. Abel is just about to start his inpatient chemo treatments.
"Jaxxon loves going to Danville. He calls them all his friends down there. And that's actually making Abel a little more comfortable now. Because when Abel went, he was very scared. It's a new place where Jax has been used to it," Liz said.
The medical bills continue to pile up for the Kochis family. Liz had to leave her job at Morgan'Z Pub in Scranton to stay at home full-time.
That's why the bar is hosting a fundraiser for her this weekend. It's happening on Saturday, December 3, from 2 to 5 p.m. $20 gets you food, drinks, and entertainment.
It's a "superhero" theme, which we think speaks for itself.