In November 2021, Justice was just two and a half years old when his mother, Pauline, noticed something unusual: a small, odd protrusion on the bottom of his chin. She reached out to his doctor and sent a photo; Justice was seen in person the next day.
He wasn't acting sick, and the area in question looked like it could be a swollen lymph node, possibly related to a mild cold that did not cause any discernable symptoms. His doctor prescribed a round of antibiotics, with a plan to refer Justice to an ENT specialist if the lump didn't resolve within two weeks. That was the day before Thanksgiving, and they were preparing to travel back east in December. The doctor was optimistic that everything would clear up with the treatment that had been prescribed and reassured Pauline they would work around their holiday plans.
Not long after, Justice's grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, and the family extended their holiday trip to stay in the area and support him. In late January, grandpa passed away, and the trip home to California followed. The lump on Justice's chin was still there, unchanged, and now impossible to ignore. Imaging was done right away, and the results revealed a tumor. Coming so soon after such a profound loss, the news was devastating.
A biopsy was scheduled, and the medical team agreed that Dr. Chi Viet would be the best surgeon to guide Justice's care. With Dr. Viet away at the time, her colleague, Dr. Carlos Moretta, performed the biopsy. Preparing a two-year-old for the procedure was no small task. With no food allowed beforehand, Justice was confused and unsettled, and everyone around him worked hard to make the experience as gentle as possible.
After the biopsy, they met Dr. Viet for the first time. During that visit, she briefly stepped out of the exam room, and in that moment, Justice told them, with complete confidence, that he was already healed, that God had healed him. It was a touching comment from such a young boy, and they waited to hear what Dr. Viet would say. In a way, Justice was correct. Dr. Viet returned with better news than they had dared to hope for: the tumor was benign.
Dr. Viet explained that this type of tumor was rarely seen in children so young. Rather than resecting Justice's entire jaw, she recommended a more conservative approach: removing as much of the tumor as possible, monitoring it closely, and addressing any regrowth as needed. The plan is to continue this approach until Justice reaches his late teens or early twenties, once his jaw growth has stabilized. At that point, a full resection can be performed to remove the tumor completely.
They were overwhelmed with relief. After everything they had endured, they felt certain they had been led to the right place, at the right time, with the right people.
Surgery took place a month later and successfully removed the majority of Justice's tumor. Pauline was diligent over the following months, watching him for any changes and staying in close contact with his care team. Barely a year later, Pauline felt his tumor changing again. Imaging confirmed her instincts, and Justice underwent a second surgery to remove the regrowth.
Since then, Justice has continued to do well. While the tumor is still present, his prognosis remains very positive. With gratitude for the extraordinary care he received, Pauline sent Healing Hands awards to every member of the team who made his appointments feel just a little easier.
For those unfamiliar with the award, Loma Linda University Health's Healing Hands program was established in 2014 to give grateful patients or families a way to honor healthcare workers who made a difference in their lives. Since its founding, more than 500 LLUH team members have been recognized. First-time honorees receive a silver lapel pin along with the patient's personal comments; those honored ten times earn a gold pin.
On July 20, 2026, that recognition went to the providers and staff who have been a part of Justice's healing journey: Dr. Carlos Moretta, Dr. Chi Viet, Tammy Davis, Elena Ceniceros, Sobie Smallridge, and Ana Valenzuela.
The team made Justice feel like more than just a patient and supported Pauline, so she felt heard and included in her son's care. They were treated with skill, patience, and compassion during one of the hardest chapters of their lives.
Today, Justice is a happy, healthy-looking kid with a bright outlook and a heart for helping others. He's even told his family that someday, he might want to become a doctor himself, so he can help people the way his own team helped him. In many ways, that aspiration reflects the very spirit of the Healing Hands program: care that inspires compassion, carried forward by those it has touched.
