HEROES…patients, survivors, caregivers

A special story from the mom of our remembered junior hero...to all of you Stickin' It 2 Cancer...


I will never look at anything in life in the same way again. Each morning, I get up and begin getting ready for the day, which usually consists of consuming plenty of caffeine and packing lunches for my three girls. But, now I only prepare two lunches. So, my emptiness begins from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep each night. At least, while I’m asleep, it feels as if God helps me to escape from reality for a little while with my dreams or to just not think at all. I seem to forget, while I’m sleeping, that Kayla is not alive anymore.

Kayla was my oldest child, 17-years-old, and born on December 24, 1992. The best Christmas present that I have ever received!! I still can't believe she would have been 18 this year. She was so intelligent, funny, head-strong, independent, loving and more.

She had been taking summer classes to get ahead so she could graduate early from high school this December. Along with school, she had been working at Bill Rhodes Bakery. In June 2010, she began complaining of chronic exhaustion. I thought it was due to her crazy schedule and not eating healthy. But, she also began having fainting spells, which concerned me. She has had issues with anemia in the past. So, I decided to take her to the doctor to have her checked out. The doctor did some blood work and sent her home.

The next morning, at 7:45 a.m., I got a phone call from the doctor's office saying that Kayla was extremely anemic and I needed to take her to the ER. I tried not to panic, but, I got her up and off we went to the ER. Thankfully, we did not have to wait very long and after more tests were done, they decided to admit her in the hospital. She was then given 3 blood transfusions, which did get her hemoglobin back up to a normal level. However, I received a startling call from her doctor as I am sitting next to Kayla while she is resting in her room. He asked me a few times how I was doing. I said that I felt better knowing the blood transfusions had worked. He said that there were more problems other than anemia and that she was showing signs of Leukemia. My heart stopped.......I couldn't breathe for a moment....and I had to keep it together for Kayla because she was sitting right next to me. I did not want to tell her until we knew for sure. Kayla was then visited by a blood specialist and she said that her tests did look like Kayla had Leukemia. We cried, held hands and didn't know what to do. All I knew to do was pray.....and pray hard!!! Kayla stayed overnight at the hospital and the next day was transferred to Egleston Children's Healthcare Of Atlanta and admitted into the Aflac Cancer Center. It was there that her diagnosis was confirmed.........Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).

Kayla survived her first round of chemotherapy treatment with severe side effects. However, she was able to come home for two weeks until she was admitted again for the second round of treatment. She was feeling great! She said to me many times, “I feel fine. I’m not sick. I just want to go home and be a normal teenager.” Kayla’s new energy and feelings of healthiness stopped once her last bag of chemo was finished. She slowly began getting weak, developed skin rashes and stomach problems. She was later admitted into the PICU due to low blood pressure and low oxygen levels. Her weak and frail body developed Sepsis due to no white blood cells. And, a few days later, she left this world and entered into the gates of Heaven.

I would give anything to have my precious daughter, Kayla, here with me right now. The 17 ½ years that I had with her simply flew by too fast. If there was only a cure for leukemia, Kayla would still be alive today.

I appreciate each and every person that has donated and is walking for a cure. I know that Kayla would be so grateful and touched by everyone who participates in Light the Night. Thank you!!!

Another Stick It 2 Cancer junior hero...
Gregory age 7, was diagnosed in July 2010 with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). Never in a million years does anyone think they or their family will have to face a disease like Cancer. His diagnosis was quickly declared positive and his prognosis determined as good. With the severity of this disease he began receiving chemo treatment immediately. Since then the Leukemia is in remission, although he will be on treatment for 3 years. The chemo treatment is not easy on his body and at many times is frustrating on his emotions. Yet, Gregory has been such a trooper. He has accepted his disease and knows exactly what to expect. He is a strong and determined kid with a positive attitude to get him through this challenge. The path he is walking is not an easy one, but with the love and support of those around him he is managing. “He is going to beat this … it will not last forever”....

One of our Stick It 2 Cancer junior heroes...
Jessica, age 9, was diagnosed in February 2010 with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). It was a miracle that we found it. With her type of Leukemia she needed a Bone Marrow Transplant. She began receiving chemotherapy treatment immediately. We promised to kick cancer to the moon and we did it! On July 2, 2010 she received her Bone Marrow Transplant. Currently, she is recovering from transplanted and has 100% donor cells!!! It has not been easy. She is taking lots of medicine and continues to come to the hospital 3 days a week. Although the road is hard, she is strong willed and has a positive attitude. Now that Jessica has been through so much she is determined to give back one day. When she grows up she wants to be a nurse and help others. We are grateful for all the love and support from the hospital staff and our friends and family.

My heros are Lynn and Mack Weaver who battled cancer together and won their fight against Breast Cancer and Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Mack was diagnosed in 2007 with stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma, only 6 month's after my mother was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer! Thank goodness my mom's cancer was found so quickly- she was able to save both of her female organs AND win the fight! We are so thankful for the LLS who made Mack's advanced treatments possible...without them, who knows what would have happened to my hero...His diagnosis literally almost crushed our family, but as a TEAM, we were able to fight to the finish and celebrate together his AND mom's triumphs!

my hero, is my twin sister jane, she went through the steps of having cancer first, and,when i got the dredded news she walked me through the steps i would need to go through, i never felt alone Jane, was my source of strenth and admiration she came to my treatments when i was, frightened she was there to hold my hand,and offer encouraging words ,along with her humor of us both having cancer at the same time all helped in the proccess! when it came time to settle the score with cancer she did! and won! and that gave me hope i could do the same so on 8/18 i too settled the score with cancer! Jane is my hero ,i could not have done it without her drive to win! thank oGod for her strenth and sisterly love!