Charlotte was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hepatoblastoma in January 2023. After being born four months early and spending 143 days in the NICU, her care team transferred her to a different hospital to receive a G-tube due to severe feeding difficulties. During her pre-op workup, her parents requested a genetics consult, which led to an abdominal ultrasound. That scan revealed 12 tumors on her liver. Charlotte was soon diagnosed with Beckwith-Weidemann Syndrome, a rare overgrowth and cancer predisposition disorder. A biopsy confirmed it—Stage 4 liver cancer. She began chemotherapy immediately.
After six rounds of chemo, a liver transplant, and the removal of her gallbladder and adrenal gland, Charlotte is now cancer free.
Charlotte will be immunocompromised for life due to her anti-rejection medications. Because of the risk of infection, she avoids public pools, lakes, and rivers and follows a special diet similar to what a pregnant person would follow. Every illness poses a serious risk—she has been hospitalized for multiple viruses, each requiring a two-week admission.
Her diagnosis has changed everything for her family. Charlotte’s mom left her career to care for her full-time and will homeschool her to protect her health. They live carefully and limit public exposure to keep Charlotte safe.
Despite it all, Charlotte is pure sunshine. She’s hilarious, brave, sweet, and incredibly friendly. She loves Ms. Rachel and Elmo, finds it funny when someone fake sneezes or gets “accidentally” hurt, and could probably live on cookies alone. She is the kind of kid who makes a room brighter just by being in it.
Hope session By Adriane Nicole | Instagram