Ryleigh was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin Lymphoma on October 4, 2024.
Her journey began in April 2024 when she came down with what seemed like a week-long flu. Instead of improving, her symptoms slowly worsened. Over the next few months she developed an enlarged lymph node in her armpit, a lingering cough, migraines, chronic fatigue, night sweats, and itchy skin.
Because her immune system was weakened during treatment, Ryleigh had to complete her freshman year of high school from home to stay safe.
Before the diagnosis, doctors ordered blood tests, scans, and biopsies to search for answers. Once the cancer was confirmed, she began twelve rounds of chemotherapy, which she finished on March 28. She will have an MRI soon to learn if she is cancer free. The emotional and mental side of treatment has been the hardest challenge for the whole family.
Since her diagnosis, the family has grown closer and learned not to take a single moment for granted.
Ryleigh is known for her bright spirit and caring heart. She stays upbeat and never takes herself too seriously, always smiling and dancing. She loves to laugh, especially at silly moments with her sister Makenzy. Her favorite things include spending time with family and friends, playing volleyball, and listening to music.
Ryleigh’s ability to stay positive and see the good in every day helped her get through treatment and inspired everyone around her.
Hazel was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the end of January, and she began chemotherapy in February. The diagnosis came as a shock and felt like it happened all at once. Her family first took her in because she had shoulder pain, and doctors thought it was a pulled muscle. When a strange lump appeared afterward, they brought her back in. That second visit led to immediate referrals and, eventually, a cancer diagnosis.
Hazel has been through a PET scan, chemotherapy, a biopsy, surgery to place her port, and countless hospital trips. Some days she has appointments daily, and other times multiple times a week. These frequent trips to Portland have created separation within the family and a lot of emotional strain. Although she does not have many physical limitations, her family has to be careful after chemo to make sure everything is clean and that no one around her is sick.
Her diagnosis has completely changed family life. Before cancer, Hazel was the happiest, most friendly girl. Everything made her laugh. As time has passed, that light has started to fade. She tries to stay strong and positive, putting on a brave face as if nothing can break her. But inside, she is still just a little girl navigating something far too big for someone her age.
Hazel’s mom describes her as a true fighter. She is determined to survive, and while she wants to be strong, there are moments when she breaks down. Even in those moments, her strength shines through. Her family wants everyone to know that this is just one chapter in Hazel’s story. There is more joy and hope ahead, and they believe she will get there, one step at a time.
Eden was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma at the age of 14. Her diagnosis was just before Christmas in December of 2021. She had treatment until September of 2022 and was in remission for about a year. Then during a routine follow-up appointment in October of 2023, a scan of her chest showed lymphoma. She has been in treatment since, and in June of 2024 she received a bone marrow transplant.
When Eden was a freshman she was a swimmer on her high school swim team. She started having knee pain in her right leg towards the end of the season. At first, she wondered if she had perhaps injured her leg while doing a flip-turn. However, she couldn’t recall any specific incident that would have caused an injury. Despite follow-ups with various healthcare professionals, the pain continued to increase with a limp forming and getting worse the longer she went undiagnosed. It was becoming difficult for her to sleep or attend school due to the pain in her leg. Eventually, she connected with a specialist who was able to x-ray her leg and help her get further imaging that led to a diagnosis.
Eden currently has a weakened immune system. She typically social distances and isolates as much as possible. She has also had some difficulty walking and sometimes can get off balance due to some of the side effects of the prior chemotherapy. For long distances, she uses a wheelchair. For shorter distances, she used a walker.
Eden has had surgery, been under anesthesia multiple times for biopsies and placements of medical devices, and has taken multiple different medications for many different things. As a family, we are doing okay, but definitely appreciate all of the love, support, and generosity from our family, friends, and those in our community. Organizations like yours are so wonderful and truly help so much. Eden was looking for senior pictures and connecting with Kara and learning about this organization was such a blessing!
It has impacted all aspects of our family life. As a family, we have adjusted our routine as Eden now does virtual school and needs medications throughout the day. As parents, we have learned how to manage an IV line at home and administer different meds. Even with the changes to our family life, we still have fun as a family and have movie nights as well as days out on the weekends.
Eden is truly a beautiful person inside and out. She has been so resilient and has been able to maintain a positive attitude and good spirits while dealing with the most difficult of challenges. She has handled things with maturity and grace. She is a true partner in her care and advocates for herself and her needs. She has continued to complete school credits virtually and is hoping to rejoin in-person school sometime this year. Eden enjoys a variety of activities. She particularly loves theater and being on the stage in plays and musicals. Eden is also an avid reader and has shelves of books. She is interested in history and she is considering being a teacher or school guidance counselor in the future. She is also interested in pursuing opportunities in theater in the future.
Abigail was diagnosed with lymphoma on February 3, 2024. She was always getting sick and then all of a sudden she couldn’t even sit up without being in severe pain which led to more blood work and a colonoscopy which is how we found the cancer.
She is doing several different chemos and immunotherapy. Plus the steroids and antibiotics she is taking. She gets lumbar punctures every 21 days, and of course, lots of blood work done.
Abigail is a fighter without a doubt, Through it all she has kept her head up and stayed positive.
Hudson is a sweet, gentle 6 year old boy. He loves videogames and building with Legos. He has an older sister & a younger sister and is a friend to everyone.
In the spring of this year, Hudson had swelling on one side of his neck and was very tired. He was diagnosed with Advanced Stage Nodular Lymphocyte Predominate Hodgkin Lymphoma in April.
We are still working to fully understand the ins and outs of this world.
In April ’24, Addison was diagnosed with Stage 4B Hodgkins Lymphoma after a series of perplexing symptoms. It all started in January when she began itching her feet, initially assumed to be athlete’s foot due to her basketball activities. However, despite treatments, the itching persisted and spread to her legs, accompanied by chicken pox-like spots. A dermatologist diagnosed dermatitis, but treatments failed to provide relief.
As weeks passed, the itching worsened, spreading to her entire body, along with red spots on her legs, ears, face, and arms. Various specialists, including an allergist who suspected scabies, were consulted, yet no diagnosis seemed to fit. Addison’s health deteriorated rapidly, marked by a 20lb weight loss, fatigue, and incessant itching. Despite efforts such as a gluten-free diet to address suspected celiac disease, symptoms persisted.
After a skin biopsy revealed severe inflammation, Addison was prescribed Dupixent, but even this provided no respite. Concerned and persistent, we reached out to her primary care doctor once more. Suspecting something more serious, she ordered further tests, which revealed alarming levels of inflammation. This prompted a referral to Dr. John Hill, a pediatric oncologist.
The subsequent whirlwind of medical evaluations confirmed the devastating diagnosis of Stage 4B Hodgkins Lymphoma.
Addison’s recent news has been quite challenging to come to terms with, but we’re committed to confronting it with resilience and optimism. She has been withdrawn from school and has had minimal interaction with her friends since receiving the diagnosis. Additionally, we’ve had to withdraw her from both recreational and competitive softball teams for the summer. Her usual plans for summer school and basketball camps have also been put on hold. We’re even considering whether to proceed with our previously scheduled camping trips and a potential trip to Ohio later in the summer.
Our family’s primary struggles revolve around managing schedules, continually packing hospital bags, grappling with medical terminology, and maintaining communication. The process of dealing with a child’s cancer diagnosis feels like a full-time job, encompassing communication with employers, coordinating with the primary care physician, exploring available resources, rescheduling previously planned appointments, updating family, friends, and coworkers, liaising with hospital billing departments, coordinating with the hometown pharmacy, and establishing relationships with the insurance’s specialty pharmacy for her chemotherapy medications. The sheer volume of tasks can be overwhelming.
Addison’s cancer diagnosis has profoundly impacted our family life in myriad ways. Firstly, it has shifted priorities, placing Addison’s health and well-being at the forefront of daily concerns. Family dynamics have adjusted to accommodate her medical needs, with schedules revolving around appointments, treatments, and hospital stays.
Emotionally, the diagnosis has brought about a range of responses, from shock and disbelief to fear and sadness. Each family member is coping differently, navigating their emotional journey while striving to support Addison too.
Addison is a remarkable 10-year-old girl with a vibrant personality that shines through even in the face of adversity. Despite the challenges she’s encountered, she maintains a resilient spirit and a contagious sense of humor that uplifts those around her.
