Emily was diagnosed on April 7, 2011 with Stage III Non-Hodgkins T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma at just 8 years old. T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma is listed as highly aggressive, the most aggressive category of Non-Hodgkins Lymphomas. Emily's cancer caused a lymph node to expand to 10cm x 10cm in her left chest, completely collapsing her left lung, pushing her heart and airway over, and allowing her right lung to expand only 20% of it’s capacity. Emily had never complained, but that's how she is. Intense chemotherapy and steroids were initiated immediately, and the mass eventually disappeared. Emily currently has no evidence of disease, and her cancer is in remission.
Unfortunately, this is Emily’s second fight for her life. At birth, she had a condition called Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn, or PPHN. At four days old, she fought to come back to life after coding, and was placed on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) heart and lung bypass machine through arteries in her neck. This machine was the last resort for Emily, and she responded well. Doctors said that a very high percentage of kids on the ECMO machine would have damage in the form of learning disabilities. Emily not only beat the odds by living through that ordeal, she also had no disabilities from it. Emily absorbed everything thrown at her by parents, speech and occupational therapists, and life around her. That strength and determination has always carried Emily through life and all she pursues. Emily is a straight A student. Emily enjoys playing with her sister, and with her pet Chihuahua Carly. X-Box dance games, Wii (especially Super Mario Bros. games), Barbies, and drawing are some of the things she enjoys to keep her busy. Emily loves music and everything about it - making it, listening to it, performing it, and dancing to it. She began playing the violin at age 5, and excelled. Emily likes to play her ukelele, guitar, or piano while singing along to her favorite songs.
Emily plans on being a pediatric oncology nurse when she gets older, and plans on being a living example how kids could live through cancer. Emily will endure 2.5 years of chemo (July 18, 2013 will be her last dose), and a lifetime of follow-ups.
