Hannah's routine visit to the doctor turned into a temporary move to Minneapolis for the whole family, and a long year of treatment to battle her cancer.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia – Hannah’s Story
Hannah's routine visit to the doctor turned into a temporary move to Minneapolis for the whole family, and a long year of treatment to battle her cancer.
The Diagnosis
Hannah was diagnosed with leukemia at the young age of three. Her hip had been hurting, so they went to her regular doctor to have it checked out. After noticing a rash on Hannah's feet, the doctor ran a blood test. The blood test confirmed that Hannah had leukemia, and her doctor arranged for Hannah to see doctors at the University of Minnesota later that day.
The doctors at the University of Minnesota started treatment the next day. Hannah was in the hospital for a month for the first of what would be several rounds of chemotherapy. The whole family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House for many, many months.
A Family Fights Together
Hannah battled fevers and other complications throughout the summer and fall. Her family was with her through it all, though. When she had to have spinal taps, her whole family was there to support her, including her younger brother, Hunter. Hannah's mom says, "Hunter always made sure he brought a bottle of Sprite for her to clean the taste out of her mouth after she was in the recovery area. And if she didn't want her Popsicle, he was happy to eat it for her."
A Long-Term Commitment to Care
Hannah has grown up quickly and loves school. She still visits the doctor routinely to check blood counts and monitor her recovery.
A critical part of many childhood cancer patients recovery is receiving proper follow-up care through the Children’s Cancer Research Fund Long-Term Survivor Clinic. Childhood cancer patients often have unique long-term health concerns. Research has shown where special care needs to be focused to ensure the healthiest life for young children like Hannah as they grow into young adults and beyond.
