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Golden Ribbon Hero Kara’s Story

Golden Ribbon Hero Kara’s Story

A Celebration of Life: A Survivor’s Story

14137671_1224136984285269_748543319_nThis week, two-time childhood cancer survivor Kara took her GO GOLD® shirt to the skies! Having bravely fought childhood cancer twice, Kara is now living life to its fullest, using the same courage, spirit, and determination which helped her win her battles against cancer to face another fear: jumping out of an airplane. Kara’s long battles with cancer have shown her that there is nothing she cannot achieve and that life is a beautiful gift that too many of us take for granted. Thank you, Kara, for showing us just how high a childhood cancer survivor can fly!

Like Kara, we hope you will wear your GO GOLD® shirt proudly this month (and beyond) to show the world the incredible fighting spirit of all teens and children battling this disease.

  • Our GO GOLD® shirts are still available for purchase; if you would like to order one, please click here.

Kara’s Story, in her own words:

14193854_1224457254253242_2135344604_nWhen I was 14 years old, a little shy freshman in high school, while I was enjoying my teen years my mom started to notice things that I shrugged off. She noticed a lot of bruises appearing on my soft, nearly flawless skin. This didn’t concern me much until I realized I could not keep up with friends as we played tag outside, waking up was more of job than school itself, and my lips were a pale unusual color.


At this point, my mom wanted me to be seen by a doctor. At that time I was living in Woodbridge, Virginia. She took me to a local clinic to have some tests. A doctor quickly looked me over. He decided the best bet was doing some blood test and going from there. At this point, I had no idea that those result would change my life forever.


Not even 2 hours later, the clinic called back and informed my mom that something came back not right and I would need to be seen the following day by a specialist. Early the next day, my mom and I loaded up for an hour drive to Walter Reed Medical Center. We were told to go to Oncology department on the 3rd floor. The word Oncology was foreign to me, although soon it became a word I would have to use too often. My oncologist, my mom, and I sat in a tiny room as those deathly words rolled softly out of his mouth, “Kara…you have Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.” he said. My body felt numb, my mind filled quickly with a million questions as I burst into tears alongside my mom. He told us he’d give us a minute and left the room. I sat there squeezing my mom as we cried together.


Soon, this oncology unit became more of a home than a hospital. The day after my diagnoses I was scheduled for surgery to have a port placed. Chemo for me was brutal. Every day was a battle. With all the chemo drugs, steroids, shots, bone marrow biopsies, and tests, I was started to feel like a science experiment and it was 3 year process.


My high school, Freedom High School in Woodbridge, did an amazing fundraiser for me. They raised nearly $10,000 for me at a basketball event. The city also did a story about me in the newspaper. They followed me for 2 weeks in order to be able to see what I was going through and get pictures of me getting treatment.


A year into my treatment, my mom found out she was pregnant. Unfortunately I was hospitalized when she had her gender reveal appointment. It was a bummer. But she brought me a balloon to the hospital and announced it was a boy! When he was 2 weeks old we moved to Iowa to be closer to my mom’s family. My medical records were transferred to The Nebraska Medical Center, where I completed treatment.


After 2 years of chemo and a year of maintenance, I was finally done. I enrolled in college, moved into a dorm and was working full-time. Cancer was a word that was no longer in my vocabulary. I lived a normal life and was working on putting the pieces back together. I was healthy, happy and very much in love with life.


Sadly, this feeling was about to be cut short. Two weeks before my 24th birthday, a biopsy confirmed that my bone marrow was being invaded once again. My marrow was 80% leukemia cells. I was crushed, shocked and speechless really. I was sent to the Medical Center immediately to start chemo. But things were going to be very different this time around. Not only was chemo going to poison my body once again, radiation was going to fry my organs. All this in order to prepare for a bone marrow transplant.


This time was much more difficult than the first time. I had to quit my 2 jobs, un-enroll from my college classes, and say goodbye to my social life. My boyfriend and I were not able to afford rent without me working so we had to move into my mom’s house. But honestly, that’s exactly where I needed to be. My little brother was my comfort through my first go around and he was the second time as well. My mom has been a single parent since he was born. She has truly been the most amazing mom and caregiver that any child could ask for. I don’t think I’d be here today without her and my little brother’s support.


From February 2014 until July 2014 I did intense chemo and radiation. Luckily, the hospital was able to find me a 10/10 donor match. At the time she was a mysterious angel who was living in Germany. Today, she is no longer a mystery. On July 11th, 2014 I received Sabine Euler’s stem cells. The moment they entered my bloodstream, I had a mix of emotions. What if I got GVHD
[Graft-Versus-Host Disease]? What if they don’t work? What if I don’t survive this?


Recovery was extremely hard. I had GVHD of the skin and gut. Treatment for this was the most awful steroid, prednisone. It took forever for my hair to grow back, for the moon face to fade, and to be happy again. My appearance was so unfamiliar. I didn’t look in a mirror for almost a year.


When I reached my 1 year re-birthday, I was closer to being myself than I ever thought I would. For me, this was a HUGE milestone. I was able to go another year with only being admitted one time for a severe sinus infection. I am beyond blessed!


Last month I successfully celebrated my 2 year re-birthday! Yet another amazing day I was able to celebrate. Beside me that day were 3 of my biggest supporters, my mom, my baby brother, and my boyfriend of 6 years who has also held my hand, cleaned up more puke than he wanted, and let me cry on his shoulder for months on end. Family and friends were a big part of treatment.


But the number 1 people I owe a huge thank you to are my amazing doctor, Dr. Gundablu at the Med Center, and my extraordinary German donor, Sabine Euler who is now my big sister!
🙂 I owe a big thank you to all my caring nurses, Pas, and staff who really made my experience with cancer suck a little less. The Nebraska Medical Center will forever be my second home. Oddly enough, I miss all of them since I don’t go nearly as often as I used to. Without all of them, my life would not be the same.


14182542_1224455207586780_1992057348_nYesterday (Aug. 28th) I went skydiving for my first time ever! And it was a life changing experience on its own. The old me would have never had the guts to jump out of that plane. With this life God has blessed me with once again, I plan on doing everything I was ever afraid of. You know why? Because I am my own limit and I will never allow myself to be limited. This world is an amazing place, with so much to offer. I think some of us don’t stop to see the beauty of it until it is literally slipping out of your hands. Don’t let your life lose meaning. Grab it and hold it tight. For in a matter of seconds it can be yanked away from you. Cancer has shown me so much, so very much. Life is more precious than most realize. Dream big and don’t EVER give up! All things are possible. I am a 2 time cancer survivor and I am in love with this life.

14193834_1224136727618628_1996205164_nAbout the American Childhood Cancer Organization

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is a non-profit charity dedicated to helping kids with cancer and their families navigate the difficult journey from cancer diagnosis through survivorship. Internationally, the ACCO is the sole US member of Childhood Cancer International (CCI), the largest patient-support organization for childhood cancer in the world. Here in the United States, the ACCO promotes the critical importance of ensuring continued funding into new and better treatment protocols for childhood cancer.  And most importantly, the ACCO is focused on the children: developing and providing educational tools for children fighting cancer and their families, empowering them in their understanding of childhood cancer and the medical decisions they must make during this difficult journey. All of ACCO’s resources are available free of charge for families coping with childhood cancer.

For additional information about childhood cancer or on the ACCO, or to order resources for you or your child, please visit our website at www.acco.org.

To submit a Gold Ribbon Hero’s story, please Click Here

For additional information about childhood cancer or on the ACCO, or to order resources for you or your child, please visit our website at www.acco.org , call 855.858.2226 or visit:

Want To Read American Childhood Cancer Organization On Your Phone? Click the NoteStream logo: NoteStream

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 2016

Today marks the beginning of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, September 2016

Each September we hope to raise much needed awareness for childhood cancer and we can’t do that without your help. To start, please take a moment to share this page on your social media profile, in an email or however you would like with your community by copying and pasting this website address https://www.acco.org/blog/childhood-cancer-awareness-month-2016/. Then, learn about the many ways that you, your family and friends, and your community can help:
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 2016

The Gold Ribbon: The international awareness symbol for Childhood Cancer is the gold ribbon. Wear or display a gold ribbon for everyone to see this month. Put a gold ribbon car magnet on your car, share gold ribbon stickers, wear a gold ribbon pins or make your own gold ribbon Add a gold ribbon to your social media images and add a gold ribbon emoticon to your posts and status updates. Provide gold ribbons for your child’s school, for your fellow employees at your place of work and/or for your church or other group. Click Here to learn more about the Gold Ribbon.

Go Gold®: Change you profile, cover and header images on your social media to gold or gold themed images. Ask everyone you know to show their support by changing their images to gold themed images. You can also wear gold, host a “Go Gold®” event or think of any creative way to share gold this September. Although many colors were considered, gold was agreed upon as the ideal choice for childhood cancer awareness because gold is a precious metal, and is therefore the perfect color to reflect the most precious thing in our lives—our children. Click Here to learn more about Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. (“GO GOLD®” and “GO GOLD for Kids with Cancer®” are registered trademarks of ACCO. ACCO registered the marks to protect the identity of the gold ribbon and GO GOLD expression and its derivations to the childhood cancer cause.)

Wearing Awareness Items: Wearing awareness items such as our awareness shirts, gold ribbons, “Go Gold®” bracelets, gold pins or other awareness items items. Our awareness shirts and items support ACCO’s programs and help us to provide free resources to families facing a childhood cancer diagnosis. Many of our shirts feature thousands of names that each represent a precious life and an entire community of people whose lives have been forever changed by childhood cancer. Click Here to see our 2016 Go Gold Awareness shirts (only available until September 12th) or Here for other awareness items.

Host an Event: ACCO offers many ways for individuals, corporations, schools and any other groups to host ACCO signature events to help support children and teens with cancer. We help organize your event, provide prizes and event materials, a website portal for groups, team and/or individuals to collect donations, and depending on the size of your event, provide marketing options. Click Here to learn how to get involved.

Supporting the STAR Act: What could be a better way to kick off September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month than adding your support to the most comprehensive childhood cancer bill ever in US legislative history: the STAR Act! We need your help reminding Chairman Upton that this bill is important and that it deserves a hearing! Click Here to learn more about how you can help.

There are so many wonderful and creative ways to help raise awareness about Childhood Cancer, and we are honored to help you however we can. If you would like to learn more or discuss your ideas about raising awareness this month, please feel free to Contact Us Here. We can’t wait to help you Go Gold® for kids with cancer this September! Please take a moment to view all of the many options on our website.

About the American Childhood Cancer Organization

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is a non-profit charity dedicated to helping kids with cancer and their families navigate the difficult journey from cancer diagnosis through survivorship. Internationally, the ACCO is the sole US member of Childhood Cancer International (CCI), the largest patient-support organization for childhood cancer in the world. Here in the United States, the ACCO promotes the critical importance of ensuring continued funding into new and better treatment protocols for childhood cancer.  And most importantly, the ACCO is focused on the children: developing and providing educational tools for children fighting cancer and their families, empowering them in their understanding of childhood cancer and the medical decisions they must make during this difficult journey. All of ACCO’s resources are available free of charge for families coping with childhood cancer.

For additional information about childhood cancer or on the ACCO, or to order resources for you or your child, please visit our website at www.acco.org.

Update on the STAR Act

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is here and the STAR Act needs your help!


child-cancer
What could be a better way to kick off September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month than adding your support to the most comprehensive childhood cancer bill ever in US legislative history: the STAR Act! Support for the STAR Act continues to grow—just this past week, we reached 250 co-sponsors in the House alone—but we still need your help to continue to push this bill through the legislative process.

The legislative process can be slow and frustrating, but we have faith that our Congressmen and Congresswomen understand the critical importance of the STAR act and what it could mean for children facing childhood cancer today and tomorrow. The Childhood Cancer STAR Act (Survivorship, Treatment, Access and Research (H.R. 3381/S. 1883), as it is formally called, is currently pending before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. It must have a hearing and mark-up in this committee before moving onto a vote by the full House of Representatives and US Senate. We hope that the hearing before the Committee will happen this month—during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

stepup-8Progress is being made. Just last week, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee met with officials from the National Institutes of Health to ensure that any concerns NIH had about the bill had been addressed. A lead Republican Staffer on the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee acknowledged that 70% of the members of the Health Subcommittee are signed on as co-sponsors of the bill and that there are no longer any concerns about the bill. We are moving closer to our goal!

We are now asking for Congressman Upton, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to prioritize the STAR Act so that it can be voted on by the Committee this month, before the end of the legislative year. Congressman McCaul asked Chairman Upton to put the bill on the agenda in May and we have asked him to press Chairman Upton again for a hearing. But we need as much positive pressure as we can generate on Chairman Upton and other members of the Committee, to encourage them not to let this important piece of legislation linger for another year.

How can I help?

We need your help reminding Chairman Upton that this bill is important and that it deserves a hearing!

Below is a list of members of the Energy and Commerce Committee who have signed on as Co-Sponsors. We ask you to contact them—by phone, by email, by social media—and ask them to call upon Chairman Upton to bring this bill before the Committee for a hearing. Chairman Upton must believe that his fellow Committee members want to discuss this bill, that they believe in its critical importance for childhood cancer. Chairman Upton needs to hear from Committee members that this bill is a priority!

Why should the STAR Act be a priority? Because:

  • Cancer is the #1 disease killer of children in the United States today;
  • Approximately 1 in every 285 children under 20 are diagnosed with childhood cancer every year;
  • 2 out of every 10 children diagnosed with cancer will not survive;
  • 25% of childhood cancer survivors will suffer from one or more serious health problems stemming directly from their cancer and/or their treatment;
  • Of the more than 10 new cancer drugs developed since 1990, only two were developed and approved by the FDA specifically for childhood cancer.

This important childhood cancer legislation gives hope to all the children currently undergoing treatment and to survivors of childhood cancer suffering long-term health effects of today’s toxic treatments. Without sufficient funding into next-generation treatment options and government-funded clinical trials, children with some forms of cancer will continue to face unacceptably high rates of mortality and survivors will continue to face long-term, significant threats to their health as a result of their cancer treatment.

The ACCO helped draft the STAR Act because we believe in the critical importance of protecting and supporting the future of ongoing efforts to develop new, more effective, and less toxic treatment options for childhood cancer. We are fighting every day to make the STAR Act into law and to bring hope and courage to childhood cancer warriors. We hope you will continue to join us in this fight…

…Because Kids Can’t Fight Cancer Alone!®

E&C Members who have signed on as co-sponsors to the STAR Act:

Brett Guthrie (R-KY)

Tim Murphy (R-PA)
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
Susan Brooks (R-IN)
Chris Collins (R-NY)
Joe Barton (R-TX)
Bill Flores (R-TX)
Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
Gregg Harper (R-MS)

Mike Pompeo (R-KS)
Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)
Richard Hudson (R-NC)
Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Lois Capps (D-CA)
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
G.K. Butterfield (D-NC)
Kathy Castor (D-FL
John Sarbanes (D-MD)
Doris Matsui (D-CA)
Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
Kurt Schrader (D-OR)
Joseph Kennedy (D-MA)
Tony Cardenas (D-CA)
Peter Welch (D-VT)
Anna Eshoo (D-CA)
Paul Tonko (D-NY)
Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Bobby Rush (D-IL)
Diana DeGette (D-Co)
John Yarmuth (D-KY)
Mike Doyle (D-PA)
Jerry McNerney (D-CA)
Dave Loebsack (D-IA)

About the American Childhood Cancer Organization

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is a non-profit charity dedicated to helping kids with cancer and their families navigate the difficult journey from cancer diagnosis through survivorship. Internationally, the ACCO is the sole US member of Childhood Cancer International (CCI), the largest patient-support organization for childhood cancer in the world. Here in the United States, the ACCO promotes the critical importance of ensuring continued funding into new and better treatment protocols for childhood cancer.  And most importantly, the ACCO is focused on the children: developing and providing educational tools for children fighting cancer and their families, empowering them in their understanding of childhood cancer and the medical decisions they must make during this difficult journey. All of ACCO’s resources are available free of charge for families coping with childhood cancer.

For additional information about childhood cancer or on the ACCO, or to order resources for you or your child, please visit our website at www.acco.org.

 

DC United & Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Come watch as two MLS playoff contenders—DC United and Columbus Crew—face off while helping raise awareness about childhood cancer during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month!

Image result for dc united vs columbus crewThat’s right! DC United has joined with the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) to hold a childhood cancer awareness event at their match against Columbus Crew on September 28 at RFK Stadium, and you’re invited! Tickets cost just $25, and when you use the link below, $10 of the cost of each ticket purchase will be donated back to the ACCO to support the ACCO and its mission to aid children with cancer and their families.

https://groupmatics.events/#/event/accodcu

DC United Supports Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s right around the corner. Our goal is to turn the world “gold” during this critical awareness month, to give everyone, everywhere, a visual reminder of the importance of the fight against this deadly disease. We are so excited to have DC United’s help and support as they turn RFK Stadium GOLD on September 28. All DC United players will have gold laces on their sneakers and will wear gold warm up shirts. The playing field will highlight gold nets and gold corner flags.

And most critically, the half-time show will shine a gold spotlight on childhood cancer, making a human gold ribbon on the field! Pre-selected individuals will get a free gold t-shirt and will be invited onto the field to participate in this special on-field experience. Spots are limited based on availability, so purchase your tickets today for your chance to be a part of this amazing show.

Join the Fun and Participate in this Important Event

  • What: Major League Soccer: DC United v. Columbus Crew featuring the ACCO and childhood cancer
  • When: September 28, 2016 at 7:30pm
  • Where: RFK Stadium in in Washington, DC
  • How: Tickets are $25 apiece. Use the link below and $10 of each ticket purchase will be donated to the ACCO:
  • https://groupmatics.events/#/event/accodcu
  • Time is limited: tickets are available only until September 26, 2016 @ 11:59 PM EST.

Why Should You Participate in Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?

Unfortunately, childhood cancer is still considered a “rare” disease and despite the devastating impact on children diagnosed with the disease and their families, it receives only a fraction of the public awareness, research, and funding devoted to adult cancers. Yet a few simple facts will bring the stark realities of childhood cancer into clear focus:

  • Cancer is the #1 cause of disease-related deaths in the United States today;
  • Approximately 1 in 285 children under the age of 20 will be diagnosed with cancer;
  • 2 out of every 10 children with childhood cancer will not survive;
  • Nearly 90% of all childhood cancer survivors will suffer long-term health problems directly related to their cancer and the toxicity of current treatment options;
  • Of the 109 new drugs developed since 1990 for the treatment of cancer, only two were developed and approved by the FDA specifically to treat childhood cancer.

Why Should You Support the ACCO?

When you purchase a ticket to this fun, exciting MLS game using the link above, $10 of the price of your ticket will go directly to the ACCO to support its mission of advocating on behalf of children with cancer at the national and international levels, as well as developing and providing educational resources free of charge to children with cancer and their families. These educational tools help guide and support children and their families through every stage of their fight against this terrible disease: providing parents with accurate, timely information they need to help make critical medical decisions, helping children cope with the scary, stressful, unknown world of the hospital, tests, and treatments, and supporting families as they navigate the new, unwelcome world into which they are thrown when they first hear those terrible words: “your child has cancer.”

We thank you, and the brave childhood cancer warriors across the country thank you, because

Kids Can’t Fight Cancer Alone!®

About the American Childhood Cancer Organization

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is a non-profit charity dedicated to helping kids with cancer and their families navigate the difficult journey from cancer diagnosis through survivorship. Internationally, the ACCO is the sole US member of Childhood Cancer International (CCI), the largest patient-support organization for childhood cancer in the world. Here in the United States, the ACCO promotes the critical importance of ensuring continued funding into new and better treatment protocols for childhood cancer.  And most importantly, the ACCO is focused on the children: developing and providing educational tools for children fighting cancer and their families, empowering them in their understanding of childhood cancer and the medical decisions they must make during this difficult journey. All of ACCO’s resources are available free of charge for families coping with childhood cancer.

For additional information about childhood cancer or on the ACCO, or to order resources for you or your child, please visit our website at www.acco.org.

Gold Ribbon Hero Cash W

Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Cash has been battling stage 4 Neuroblastoma since August 28, 2015. He was diagnosed at just 22 months old. He’s the greatest little boy I have ever laid eyes on, and he’s not once let this cancer get him down.” – Tristan W

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More about Childhood Neuroblastoma Cancers:

Learn More About the Different Types of Childhood Cancers:

Gold Ribbon Hero Taylor C

Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Taylor was diagnosised with Rhabdomyosarcoma when she was 22 months, behind her right eye. She had emergency surgery to save the vision in that eye. They removed 30% of the tumor. She had 40 weeks of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation. She has had a cataract removed in that eye. Taylor is 6 years old now and has chronic dry eye which causes inflammation, she suffers with headaches daily. She is legally blind in her right eye also. Taylor is strong, she is a fighter. She never complains, she is my hero!” – Sarah C

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Golden Ribbon Hero Anna from Chicago

ACCO_Chicago061516-3172With September—Childhood Cancer Awareness Month—just around the corner, we would like to take a few minutes to thank Anna and her family for taking the time to be part of our awareness activities in Chicago in mid-June. After a year of treatment for T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Anna is currently in the middle of aggressive chemotherapy designed to eliminate the last remaining cancer cells in her blood so she can move to the next phase of treatment: maintenance. Yet despite a prolonged hospital stay as Anna’s young body continues to struggle with the effects of the aggressive treatment, she was excited to participate in this important awareness campaign, to act as an ambassador for all the many childhood cancer warriors facing this terrible disease. It was truly an honor to meet her!

Anna’s Story

September of 2015, Anna was a typical 5 year-old starting kindergarten. However, only three weeks into the school year, this typically energetic and sassy redhead was becoming more and more lethargic, with fevers that wouldn’t stay away and bruises that kept coming back. After bringing her to urgent care on a Sunday afternoon, Anna’s parents knew something just wasn’t right and took her to the ER for a follow-up. While the sense of urgency was ultimately correct and somewhat expected, the diagnosis certainly wasn’t. Anna’s parents were told she likely had leukemia and was very, very sick. She was sent directly to the PICU where she spent the next several days and additional days in the pediatric ward where she was ultimately diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a sub-type of leukemia, which is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

Cancer Diagnosis

In the early days after diagnosis, Anna’s family members were inundated with a whirlwind of information amidst their concern around their little girl’s life. Within the first couple of days, Anna had surgery to place a port, decisions needed to be made about whether or not to treat her as part of a clinical study, and instant education needed to happen around a plethora of unfamiliar vocabulary and options for a very overwhelmed and frightened set of parents. Both Anna and her concerned older sister were thrown into a scary place as a patient and a sibling that involved serious yet child-friendly dialogues around cancer and what it would mean for everyone involved.  And of course Anna herself had to adapt to being poked and prodded endlessly, forced to take many awful medicines to bring her body into a safe place for early and aggressive treatment, all the while trying to understand as a kindergartner why all of this was so important and necessary.

T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment

ACCO_Chicago061516-3154There was an exceptionally fearful time in the early weeks of treatment where a suspected life-threatening turn of events required a rapid response from the emergency staff on the pediatric floor, and Anna’s parents were told to prepare for the worst. Luckily, it was determined that it was a lesser threat of kidney stones, but that led into very painful days for Anna to pass the stones, all while enduring chemotherapy and being on a low sodium diet during a phase of treatment where the side effects drive patients to crave salty food. All in all, it was one of the most miserable and terrifying phases of her they had experienced to date.

In spite of this set of conditions, Anna showed a tremendous will of spirit. She loved her new friends in the hospital from Child Life, the nursing staff, and the hospital volunteers. She thought the toys and playtime to explain the medical routines were a treat, not a chore.  Her joy in these trying times helped to lift her family through this seismic shift in their lives, especially through many of the logistical challenges. The daily life activities of Anna’s sister’s school attendance, homework, sports, pet care, household chores, etc. all still needed to happen while one parent remained in the hospital at all times.

As time passed and Anna’s treatment shifted to primarily weekly outpatient visits with planned inpatient stays for longer chemotherapy sessions, her road map was anything but certain. Several times she spent multiple days in the hospital due to fevers or side effects from treatment. Lumbar punctures, chemotherapy, and transfusions become commonplace, which no child nor family should have to come to know. However, at least the plan was in place, and Anna was responding to treatment. By January she was declared to be in remission…one step closer to the ultimate goal of curing Anna of cancer entirely.

Anna Now

ACCO_Chicago061516-3345Anna is currently still in treatment and close to reaching the beginning of the next phase…maintenance, where she will continue aggressive support of staying in remission for at least several months beyond that. The calendar is not yet completely certain, as it is completely dependent on how the days and weeks of treatment pass in the meanwhile. The chemotherapy has been brutal for Anna, and she has sometimes had delays between treatments due to the effects and how she recovers from each session. However, Anna is a fighter, and she is looking forward to returning to school this year, in spite of the ongoing risks and having to be isolated or excluded if her body has a tough time with ongoing treatment. Her family continues to try to creatively keep Anna focused positively on fun in spite of the hard work. Fighting as a family toward beating cancer has brought them closer together and helped them to be more inspired to live life with meaning and joy in spite of the dark and scary days in between.

To submit a Gold Ribbon Hero’s story, please Click Here

For additional information about childhood cancer or on the ACCO, or to order resources for you or your child, please visit our website at www.acco.org , call 855.858.2226 or visit:

Want To Read American Childhood Cancer Organization On Your Phone? Click the NoteStream logo: NoteStream

Gold Ribbon Hero Emma R

Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Emma inspires more people than she could ever imagine, whether that be the way she smiles through the toughest of situations or how her positive light allows her to be consistently compassionate towards everyone around her- especially the other kids at the hospital.   She empowers the people closest to her who see her at her best and her worst and those who do not even know her.  Emma is a fighter and does not let leukemia become a barrier between her and the things she loves such as cheer leading.  No matter how sick she feels, she pushes forward for herself and for those around her.  She is the best sister, friend, daughter, and classmate anyone could imagine.   and she inspires me to push forward in everything that I do.” – Sarah A

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Gold Ribbon Hero Bella M

Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Bella is a beautiful soul fighting Osteosarcoma.  She should be a Gold Ribbon Hero because she shares her journey on social media and has raised so much awareness for childhood cancer.  We smile with her, and cry with her and pray with her.  She is so brave and is fighting so hard.  She is so kind hearted that while she valiantly fights for her life she was heartbroken for the people effected by the floods in Loiusiana.  She was asking for people to reach out and help the victims of the flooding that had lost so much.  She has a beautiful and big smile and an even bigger heart.  She is my (our) hero.” – Mckenna Rimage

 

 

Gold Ribbon Hero Mason G

Reason this person is a Gold Ribbon Hero: Mason was a beautiful blue eyed boy with the biggest heart and most compassionate soul. He was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 11 and died from it 11 months later at the age of 12. His short life touched many and continues to do so. He loved his family and friends fiercely and his spirit lives on in those who love him. Mason always had a hug for everyone and was a friend to all. We honor Mason’s memory through his foundation by raising awareness, furthering research, and increasing funds for childhood cancer, especially brain cancer. We also offer help to others on this journey supporting them spiritually and financially as well as giving back to the community by granting scholarships.” – Monica G

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