Ava was diagnosed with leukemia in August 2023. In the weeks leading up to her diagnosis, she was unusually fatigued, developed unexplained bruising, and didn’t want to walk—symptoms that quickly became serious indicators of something much bigger.
Since then, Ava has been undergoing chemotherapy. Unfortunately, her journey has come with added complications: a recent biopsy revealed a clone that could make her resistant to treatment, along with abnormalities in her myeloid cells. Another biopsy is underway to reassess her condition, and her care team is awaiting results from a specialized myeloid panel to determine the next steps.
Ava’s diagnosis has reshaped life for her entire family. Social events and vacations have been put on hold to protect her from illness, and collision activities like soccer or gym are off-limits due to dangerously low platelet counts. Like many families walking this road, they’ve also faced mental health challenges and now rely on therapy and psychiatry to help navigate the emotional toll.
But despite it all, Ava is such a bright, imaginative, and loving child. She lights up at the chance to do crafts or dive into pretend play. She adores helping with her baby sister and is currently obsessed with dinosaurs. Her gentle, curious spirit shines through even during the hardest moments.
Her family wants others to know how important the bone marrow registry is—not only for Ava but for countless kids like her. Signing up could truly save a life.
Ava was just 15 months old when she suddenly stopped walking and refused to use her right leg. Her parents spent weeks searching for answers, visiting doctors, urgent care, and the ER before her pediatrician finally ordered a blood test. Within hours, their world changed—Ava was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, high-risk B-type. She was immediately hospitalized for 34 days.
Now two years old, Ava has endured nine months of intense chemotherapy, spinal chemotherapy, bone marrow biopsies, blood transfusions, and multiple hospital stays. She just began the maintenance phase of treatment, a huge milestone in her fight. Through it all, she remains a happy, strong, and lovable little girl who adores all things pink, singing, dancing, and watching Ms. Rachel.
Cancer has changed life for Ava and her entire family. Her days have revolved around clinic visits, daily medications, and long hospital stays, with doctors and nurses becoming her closest friends. Her three-year-old brother has had to put preschool and activities on hold to protect Ava’s health, and the family has spent most of the past year at home, limiting travel and outings.
Despite everything, Ava’s joyful spirit shines. Her parents hope to capture this chapter of her journey—especially now, as she recently lost her hair. They want to celebrate her strength, resilience, and the love that surrounds her as she continues to fight. Ava is lucky to have received exceptional care, and her family hopes the same for all children facing this battle.
Vera was diagnosed with leukemia in July 2022 after experiencing fevers, loss of appetite, and unexplained bleeding from her nose and gums. Her treatment journey has been tough—bringing challenges like mobility issues, vision loss, neuropathy, hypoglycemia, anxiety, and depression. But through it all, she has fought with incredible strength.
Now, two months after treatment, our family is finally starting to breathe again. We haven’t had family pictures taken since before her diagnosis, making this moment even more meaningful.
Vera is full of creativity and joy. She loves to sing, dance, and craft—expressing herself in the most beautiful ways. Her laughter is contagious, and despite everything she has been through, she continues to find joy in the little things.
This session means so much to us, capturing the light and resilience that shines so brightly in our sweet girl.
In February 2024, our world was turned upside down when Brooks was diagnosed with Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML). It all started with tiny, pinpoint dots around his eyes. Thinking it was a rash, I sent a picture to our pediatrician, who immediately ordered bloodwork. Looking back, the signs had been there—months of back-to-back respiratory viruses and unexplained bruising. But we never imagined it would lead to this.
After two rounds of chemotherapy, Brooks underwent a bone marrow transplant in April 2024. Treatment meant learning an entirely new way of life—worrying about germs, giving medicine, changing dressings in a sterile environment, and even leaving home for four months to be where he needed to be.
Through it all, Brooks never stopped smiling. Even on the hardest days, when chemo made him feel awful, he found a way to be silly, to laugh, to bring joy to those around him. He is a ball of energy—running, jumping, climbing, and constantly on the move. But at the same time, he’s a mama’s boy at heart, never passing up a snuggle with me, his blanket, or his favorite stuffed animals.
He won over his nurses and made friends with everyone along the way. His strength and spirit remind us daily of the incredible fighter that he is.
On May 1, 2024, our lives changed forever when Rose was diagnosed with cancer. It all started so simply—she was jumping on a trampoline, fell, and said her knee hurt. We took her to the doctor, who referred us to an orthopedic specialist, but then something even more concerning happened. She started developing polka-dot bruises everywhere. That was when we knew something was really wrong.
Since then, Rose has been through chemotherapy and lumbar punctures. The treatments are tough, and the hospital stays feel endless. This journey has been incredibly hard on our whole family. We’ve had to limit the people she’s around and adjust our lives in ways we never imagined.
But through it all, Rose is our light in the darkness. She is funny, outgoing, and so incredibly smart. She loves being outside, dancing, singing, and laughing—especially when I pretend to be a dinosaur. Disney princesses are her world, but her absolute favorite thing is dancing with me, her mom.
Even after multiple hospital stays, she wakes up every morning with a smile, as if nothing ever happened. She is the strongest little girl we know, and we are so proud of her fight.
Our world changed on April 21, 2024, when Delilah was diagnosed with cancer. It all started with an enlarged stomach—something that seemed small at first but led to an ultrasound and, ultimately, a diagnosis we never expected.
Since then, Delilah has endured 36 rounds of chemotherapy and countless days in the hospital. The hardest part for us has been finding time together as a family. Between hospital stays, work, and trying to keep up with everyday life, it often feels like we’re being pulled in a hundred different directions. Because of her diagnosis, we’ve had to step back from social gatherings, choosing instead to spend our free time together, just the four of us.
Through it all, Delilah remains the light in our lives. She is full of joy, laughter, and pure silliness. She loves making silly faces, talking in funny voices, singing, dancing, and cuddling her stuffed animals. No matter what she’s going through, she always finds a reason to smile—and reminds us to do the same.
