PARAGOULD, Ark. – For more than a year, Paragould teenager Lane Clayton has been battling stage-four rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer. On Saturday, he received a special gift to help him step away from the struggle: a fully outfitted gaming mancave.
Surrounded by his family, friends, and football teammates, Make-A-Wish delivered Clayton the keys to a backyard gaming shed equipped with everything he had imagined. An avid fan of survival and horror video games, Clayton said the idea stemmed from his desire to spend late nights gaming with his friends without disturbing his household.
“I can be pretty loud in our house whenever playing the game,” he explained. “I wanted to be respectful of my mom late at night.”
Clayton was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in 2025. Within days of his diagnosis, he began a challenging treatment regimen of chemotherapy, radiation, and eventually a 12-hour surgery. Despite these challenges, his determination and resilience have continued to shine. Just two weeks after the intensive operation, he returned to the sidelines to support his football team.
Clayton attributes his strength to his faith, which he embraced shortly before his diagnosis. “I was baptized right before I had my diagnosis,” he shared. “It was nice for a while, and then the diagnosis hit. I questioned why it had to happen to me. Then I heard the voice of the lord tell me to keep moving. That’s what I’ve done ever since. I just know he has me, and I keep moving forward.”
The gift arrived at a pivotal moment as Clayton prepares for his final cancer treatment in November. His post-treatment scans will soon determine the next steps in his health journey.
Benafield, a representative with Make-A-Wish who helped coordinate the project, highlighted the significance of such gifts for children enduring serious medical challenges. “These kids, no matter whether it’s cancer or something else, they’re going through such difficult things,” she said. “It doesn’t take away or erase what they’re going through, but it gives them something to look forward to. You can’t ask for anything better at this time than something like that to give them hope.”
Clayton’s new gaming space serves as not just an escape, but also as a testament to the strength and positivity that has carried him through his battle with cancer.