Can you think of anything more important than saving the life of a child?
At our event, some will shave their heads – and others like me will keep the hair we have and put our hearts into supporting research to find cures and safer treatments for all childhood cancers.
Why?
On May 27th, 2022, our active, fun-loving, sweet, four-year-old daughter, Adeline, was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor. Life seemed like a movie from that moment on. Everyone and everything was moving around us, but we were standing still. Before we knew it, she was having surgery to remove her left kidney because the tumor had consumed 80-90 percent of it, and her port to receive chemotherapy was placed. Chemotherapy and radiation started shortly after, and life as we knew it had forever changed. Adeline's once long, curly blonde hair began falling out in clumps every time we brushed it. She started losing weight. Fridays became trips to the Oncology floor to receive chemotherapy. Fridays filled our once fearless child's face with fear. Fridays were filled with screams coming from the other stalls from all of the other children battling cancer, terrified as their ports were being accessed. This was our life until December of 2022 when we heard the words, "Adeline is cancer-free!" Finally, the nightmare we had been living was over.
On March 10, 2023, we went in for Adeline's 3-month scans. Little did we know the nightmare was about to begin again. Her Oncologist came in and said she had relapsed in her lungs and the treatment was going to be more intense. To start, surgery to remove a nodule out of her lung and one of her ovaries. With this new treatment it can prevent her from having children, so saving one of the ovaries and freezing it is the best option to give her the chance to have children in the future. More inpatient chemotherapy, that would be 4 - 6 days and radiation followed. This treatment came with countless blood and platelet transfusions as well as numerous hospital stays.
December 15, 2023, Adeline rang the bell again and finished treatment. Now we try to get on with "normal" and scans every three months. The fear never really goes away.
Because cancer is the #1 disease killer of kids.
This is why I’m teaming up with St. Baldrick’s – the #1 charity funder of childhood cancer research grants – in their 25th year.
Your donation can help ensure that the next 25 years bring hope, progress, and cures. Together, we speed up the progress of saving the lives of these brave children.
Thank you for your donation!
