DENVER - There are people you meet in life that somehow always make you feel better, always make you smile no matter what they are going through.
But what's surprising is when that person is a 6-year-old.
Although he doesn't act like it, Colton Hunt is very sick.
He was born with down syndrome and had heart surgery at 7 months old.
Then three days before his third birthday, he was diagnosed with leukemia.
He endured two and a half years of intense chemotherapy, went into remission and then 6 days before his 6th birthday, Colton got the news that the cancer had returned.
This time though, the chemotherapy wasn't working.
Colton was admitted to the National Institute of Health in Maryland to be part of a study.
"Colton will be the second child in the world with down syndrome that's part of this study," Colton's Father, Brad Hunt said.
The Medical treatment is complex. Colton has to stay in Maryland for nearly two months.
They extract his t-cells and re-engineer them to essentially become cancer fighters.
It's an intense procedure that totals more than $1 million.
"I think him being part of this study allows Kim and I to make sense out of something that otherwise doesn't make a lot of sense," Brad said. "I remember telling Kimmie that this boy will teach us far more than we will teach him if we are just open to it. The only regret is that those lessons have been at Colton's expense."
After weeks of tests, poking and prodding, Colton's results came in.
His bone marrow cancer went from 40 percent down to 2.
"Colton continues to teach us so much about life and what's important and it isn't what we thought it was," Hunt said.
Colton went through another round of the treatment and this time, it put him into remission. The Hunt's won another battle but the war isn't over. Now he is back in Denver and awaiting a bone marrow transplant of which they already have a match.
The fight isn't over yet, actually far from it, but all of the tests are going in the right direction.
Many people believe there's a reason and purpose for everything and everyone. Colton's is obvious: to spread joy, love and smiles everywhere he goes.
Colton is one of two kids Corey Rose's Make-A-Wish Fundraiser will be helping at her 5th annual benefit concert at the Hard Rock Cafe.
The other boy is 6 year old Jayden. Jayden has leukemia and his wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to go on a Disney cruise.
100 percent of the proceeds will be divided in half. Half for Colton and his family. The other half to grant Jayden's wish.
The benefit is April 24th and tickets are only $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
It's sponsored by 9NEWS, Alice 105.9, the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation, 4th Ave Dentistry, Denver Metro OMS and Corner Bakery.
On April 24th, a portion of the proceeds from all 5 Corner Bakery locations will be donated back to the benefit concert.
To buy tickets go to: http://tktwb.tw/1CWwXNC.
To donate go to: http://bit.ly/1CWx77A. All proceeds from donations will be matched by Denver Metro OMS to $5,000.
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