Last year I met Lauren, she was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma just one month before her 15th birthday in the summer of 2012. It was a weekend morning when her mom went to her bedroom to wake her. She began tickling her and felt an extremely large mass in her abdomen. It felt like a football. As a nurse, her mom knew something wasn't right, and took her to the emergency room. After having emergency surgery, a 15.5 pound mass was removed from her pelvis, along with an ovary and numerous lymph nodes. It took what seemed like years to finally get a diagnosis. Her case is quite rare in that Neuroblastoma typically occurs in children under the age of six. Prior to her diagnosis, Lauren was a remarkable young lady, and she continues to shine through her journey after diagnosis. She excelled in school and was in the top three of her class. With school being so important to her, she has continued by taking her classes on-line through a virtual school. She was a competitive dancer, however has been unable to dance since her treatment began. She is a loving daughter, sister and friend. Lauren has completed six rounds of chemotherapy. She had high dose chemotherapy prior to her stem cell transplant. She then had 12 rounds of radiation. Currently she is enrolled in a study where she receives antibody therapy. This portion of her treatment has been the most difficult for her.
This last day of September I want to dedicate to a couple of Gold Hope Fighter sessions.
Last year I met Lauren, she was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma just one month before her 15th birthday in the summer of 2012. It was a weekend morning when her mom went to her bedroom to wake her. She began tickling her and felt an extremely large mass in her abdomen. It felt like a football. As a nurse, her mom knew something wasn't right, and took her to the emergency room. After having emergency surgery, a 15.5 pound mass was removed from her pelvis, along with an ovary and numerous lymph nodes. It took what seemed like years to finally get a diagnosis. Her case is quite rare in that Neuroblastoma typically occurs in children under the age of six. Prior to her diagnosis, Lauren was a remarkable young lady, and she continues to shine through her journey after diagnosis. She excelled in school and was in the top three of her class. With school being so important to her, she has continued by taking her classes on-line through a virtual school. She was a competitive dancer, however has been unable to dance since her treatment began. She is a loving daughter, sister and friend. Lauren has completed six rounds of chemotherapy. She had high dose chemotherapy prior to her stem cell transplant. She then had 12 rounds of radiation. Currently she is enrolled in a study where she receives antibody therapy. This portion of her treatment has been the most difficult for her.
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AuthorLily at Lilyta Photography Archives
February 2024
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