In August 2020, Kaleigh was about to start kindergarten and was practicing hard for her upcoming competitive season of gymnastics, when her world was flipped upside down. It started with an ear infection that led to a strep throat infection. She continued with ongoing nighttime fevers. August 17th, I dropped Kaleigh off at gymnastics not knowing that would be her last practice for a long time. I did not know her blood counts were critically low with a hemoglobin of 5.7 along with platelet levels below 75 (her doctors would later tell me they had no idea how she had the energy to do gymnastics). The following day, we learned that our precious 5-year-old daughter had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Kaleigh has undergone multiple treatments including chemotherapy and high dose steroids. One of the biggest challenges she has faced was a RARE life-threatening diagnosis of Pneumatosis Intestinalis at the end of the first month of her treatment. Basically, this is when small gas cysts develop in the bowel wall and could rupture. Kaleigh did amazingly well as the treatment was nothing to eat or drink until it completely resolved. This took 15 days. My child has never been so happy to eat!
Although our daily life is different, most days you would never know Kaleigh has cancer. Kaleigh is fierce and such a fighter. She fights the side effects to try to lead as much of a normal life as possible. Her only complaint is the long drive to the hospital (2.5 hours away). She continues to push herself and practices gymnastics at home. I even set up a “pretend” gymnastics competition at home about a month ago that she totally rocked.
Kaleigh is in her 4th phase of treatment (Delayed Intensification) and has one left to go until she gets to Maintenance. Treatment will end in October 2022.
As a family, we have learned to fight together. We are a team and lift each other up. Kaleigh may have cancer, but it does not control her life. Kaleigh is so loved and she is such a determined young girl.
She is our hero…our fighter…and though she be but little she is fierce.
Hope session by Wendy Kovac Photography