Brock Wesberry has faced more in his seven years than many people do in a lifetime. But you’d never know it from his wide smile, love of baseball or honor roll report card.
Brock was 2 when he was diagnosed with minimal change disease, a form of nephrotic syndrome that causes the kidneys to leak protein into the urine, resulting in swelling and pain in his abdomen. Brock’s journey has been full of ups and downs and he’s been through numerous rounds of bloodwork, infusions, medication changes and more. Through it all, Brock has had one constant: his grandmother, Tammy Sanchez.
A Grandmother’s Steady Love
“She’s his rock,” says Ashley Rawson, MD, Brock’s pediatric nephrologist at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. “She not only cares for Brock, but also for many of his siblings. She does everything she can for her family and for her community.”
Tammy is the kind of grandmother who doesn’t let distance or difficulty stand in her way. Since Brock’s diagnosis in 2021, she’s made countless trips from their home near Kinder to Baton Rouge for clinic visits, emergency care and infusions, sometimes making the two-hour trip in the middle of the night if Brock said he didn’t feel right.
During his longer hospital stays, Tammy has remained faithfully by Brock’s side, sometimes for more than 40 days at a time, always choosing to sleep in his room rather than leave for outside lodging.
A Kid Who Knows His Body
“We’ve been through a lot of medication changes, bloodwork, PICC lines, infusions,” Tammy says. “But Brock knows his body. He can tell you when something’s wrong, even when he was little. He’s not a typical kid that way.”
Despite the challenges, Brock is thriving. A first-grader, he’s smart, outgoing and full of life. He loves baseball, basketball, fishing and animals. And he loved attending an LSU baseball game last year after one of his hospital stays.
A Team That Cares Like Family
Brock’s current treatment plan includes an infusion of rituximab every six months. So far, it’s helping him stay in remission and giving him more time to just be a kid.
He’s also built strong relationships with the care team at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. Tammy puts her faith in God and in the doctors who care for Brock.
“I pray every day,” she says. “I trust God to send the right people to take care of him. And I trust Dr. Rawson and the whole team. They really take care of the kids, and they take care of you, too.”
Looking Ahead with Hope and Baseball
Brock is doing well and continues to receive close monitoring, and Tammy stays ready to act if anything changes.
On May 10, Brock will be recognized as one of Our Lady of the Lake’s Geaux Heroes during the LSU baseball game against Arkansas, taking the field to be celebrated for his strength, spirit and determination.
