KIRBYVILLE, Texas — Brennan Odom, a 15-year-old freshman at Kirbyville High School is fighting cancer for the third time. Brennan is not only battling leukemia, but also renal failure.
Today was "Brennan Day" at the high school and the entire community wore purple t-shirts to show support for the teen.
12News was at the school as students lined the hallways in support of Brennan.
"I didn't know one community could do so much, even in a small town," said Brennan. "They went beyond anything that, you know people do."
His fight started back in 2020, a day after turning 11 years old. He was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
"You see TV commercials about it, and all that, and you're like, man, I feel bad for those kids," said Brennan. "Then, when it happens to you, it hits you like a, it hit you like a ton of bricks. You're never ready for it."
Brennan was able to beat cancer the first time after receiving a bone marrow transplant.
However, 14 months later, they found out in October of 2021 that the cancer came back.
This time around, he developed renal failure, but he found a donor for both.
"Not only did she do the bone marrow, she was willing to do the kidney transplant," said Brennan's grandmother.
He started dialysis and was able to beat cancer once again.
"[He] was scheduled for his transplant on September 4," said Brennan's grandmother.
During July of this year, the cancer came back for the third time.
"And we found out six weeks before that [the transplant], that the cancer was back," said his grandmother.
Brennan's mom, Mandi Odom, says doctors don't know what else they can do for him. His older brother, Brady, a senior, is still processing the news.
“A little bit after we found out, I would just go into his room, whenever they weren’t home and I’d just cry, said Brennan's older brother. "And just like wrap myself up in his bed sit there and cry.”
Kerri Regan, a Kirbyville English teacher, stepped in and organized "Brennan Day."
"Tried to come up with a way where I could just help him feel loved," said Regan. The intermediate did it, the junior high also participated, and we sold as many Brennan shirts as we could, to all the different businesses."
The proceeds go towards helping the Odom Family drive Brennan to Houston three times a week for dialysis.
"All the shirts coming up, a lot of pretty girls been coming up to me taking pictures with me, so it's nice," said Brennan.
There's also a Facebook page where everyone can go to send encouraging messages and upload pictures.
"Where everybody can go, and upload their pictures and write Brennan a message, a hopeful message, so he could feel like all the love today on his Brennan Day," said Regan.
"Brennan, we love you," the students cheered in the hallway.
If you would like to join the battle with Brennan, you can donate here.
For shirts, send an email to Kerri Regan.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
