ST. CLOUD, Fla. — As a mother of three, Jennifer Elliott says she tries to make the best out of any situation. At a young age, her middle child, Jericho, was diagnosed with epilepsy — and during one of his tests, she says doctors found a cancerous brain tumor.

Fortunately, after years of treatment and surgeries, Jericho is now in remission. But his diagnosis is part of a larger trend in Florida that is causing concern among experts.

In February of this year, the Florida Association of Pediatric Tumor Programs reported that between 1981 and 2020, new pediatric cancer diagnoses in the state increased 326% to more than 1,000 per year, outpacing pediatric population growth during the same time period by more than five times.

Source: St. Cloud family finds hope while child’s cancer is in remission