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.
Alaia may be small, but she is mighty. She was diagnosed with leukemia at just five months old. By November, she had already relapsed, leading to a bone marrow transplant on March 10, 2024. Her journey has been anything but easy—enduring countless rounds of chemo, a bone marrow transplant, three donor lymphocyte infusions, and more blood and platelet transfusions than we can count. Despite it all, she has handled everything with incredible bravery and grace.
Her diagnosis has changed our entire family. Her nine-year-old big brother was her bone marrow donor, making their bond even stronger. It’s given us a new perspective—we try not to sweat the small things anymore because we know just how much Alaia has been through.
She is the sweetest, funniest little girl. She’s shy around most people but at home, she’s full of personality—following her big brothers around, copying everything they do. She is all things girly—pushing her baby dolls in a stroller, grabbing a purse and shoes, always ready to go. If she hears a song she likes, she’ll dance and sing along without a care in the world.
Alaia is strong. She has faced more in her short life than most do in a lifetime, and she continues to fight with so much courage.
Karina is the strongest girl I know. She’s recovering from a bone marrow transplant after battling cancer not once, not twice, but three times. It’s heartbreaking to think that the only sign of her most recent relapse was fatigue. Then came a fever, and everything changed. When we went in, we learned that 95% of her white blood cells were leukemia blasts.
She has been through it all—radiation, chemo, surgeries. She has spent a cumulative two years inpatient. As a solo mom, it’s been devastating to watch her miss out on so much of her childhood. We always try to make the best of things, but this last time has been the hardest. She had a year off treatment before relapsing again—a year where she finally got to feel normal, go to school, and do the things she loved. Having to leave it all behind again was crushing.
Despite everything, Karina is such a happy girl. She loves to dance, sing, and act. She finds joy even in the hardest moments, and her spirit shines so brightly. She’s been through more than any child should ever have to face, but she continues to fight with grace and so much heart.
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.
In March of 2022, our world changed when Waverly was diagnosed with cancer at just 14 months old. It all started with a small lump near her nose—something so seemingly simple, yet it led to a journey we never expected.
Since then, she has been through so much—chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and multiple tumor resections. Despite everything, she has no current limitations, and we are incredibly grateful for that. But as an immunocompromised child, we have had to restructure our entire lives to keep her safe while still letting her enjoy just being a kid. It’s a constant balance—one we navigate every single day.
Through it all, Waverly remains the most outgoing and adventurous little girl. She absolutely loves being outside and meeting new people! Her joy is infectious, and her strength inspires us daily.
These moments mean everything to us, and we can’t wait to have them to look back on forever.
