VB mother: ‘All I want for Christmas is for my son to be cancer-free’

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — For months, 10 On Your Side has followed the journey of an 8-year-old Virginia Beach boy who beat COVID-19 only to learn he had cancer.

10 On Your Side has told the story of Princess Anne Elementary School student Xavier Noris. Now, after five operations and 10 months of chemotherapy, his mother is telling the story, too.

Nikysha Noris is now the co-author of a new book titled “Residue of War, testimonies of mothers who fought & won battles on behalf of their children.“

From her home in southern Virginia Beach, Noris read from chapter 10.

“February 21, our lives changed forever. As a mom, you never expect to hear the terrifying words: ‘Your son has cancer,'” she read aloud.

The cancer diagnosis was stage three. It would consume Xavier’s left kidney and continue on a potentially perilous path toward his heart.

“The tumor went through the renal vein and up the IVC. At that point, it was making its way to his heart and there’s only 5% of the kids in the world [in Wilm’s tumor cases] who were in the stage that he was,” she said.

“Xavier went from a curly-haired boy who loves to run jump play to being attached to many wires and tubes that would later confine him to a hospital bed,” read Noris.

While Xavier fought cancer at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk, his mother managed to pen chapter 10, “This is Childhood Cancer,” in Christina Johnson’s “Residue of War; testimonies of mothers who fought and won battles on behalf of their children.”

“Can you imagine signing paperwork to permit doctors to treat your child using toxic medications that cause other problems down the like. Well, welcome to my word and the world of others who have gone through the same battle,” read Noris.

Xavier’s battle included five operations and 10 months of chemotherapy.

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Last month, Xavier rang the bell in the halls of CHKD — it’s the sweet sound of treatment that is over.

At the Noris home, the sweet sound of Christmas 2021 was the sound of Xavier and his big brother Devyn reading the names on stockings that will be stuffed with presents for loved ones.

And what does Xavier want for Christmas?

“Robux; it has like a million games,” said Xavier who enjoys playing video games, sports and other rough-and-tumble activities with his brother.

The mother who has been by her son’s side for countless tests, infusions, and examinations has but one wish for Christmas.

“I’ve been asked a ka-zillion times — from people that I don’t know and people that I do know — ‘What do you want?’ I don’t want anything but for my son to be cancer-free. That’s all I wanted,” Noris said.