When was the last time you said “Thank you!” after a nurse gave you a shot? When was the last time you took medicine and said “Tastes good!”

For the month of December, Alana, George and I are embarking on a journey. There’s a story we want to tell you. A story of a young girl with Down’s syndrome and Leukemia. We will be telling her story through our photographs and words. We challenge you to take the journey with us. We do have to warn you though that you may fall in love with a little girl you’ve never met.

Kelley Rouse was born in 1999. Her parents, David and Debbie, and two of their three children attend the same church as Dorothy and I. Kelly was born with Down’s syndrome. She was always a little smaller than the rest of the kids, but was always smiling. The family was heart broken on May 11, 2004 when Kelley was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (A.L.L.). She started a long journey of hospital stays and treatments that lasted until June of 2006. But she never stopped smiling. It was at that time that Kelley was declared free of cancer and her parents were told that there was a 90% chance that it would not return.

Kelley continued to live her life cancer free. She did go for regular check-ups though. She continued in school. She came to church every Sunday. She knew everyone’s name wherever she went. She attended her oldest brother’s wedding and danced like no one was watching.

On September 11, 2009, Dave and Debbie were notified that the cancer had returned. Her treatment started again. Since that day, Kelley has spent over 100 days in the hospital. She takes a variety of drugs – up to 10 different types a day – to fight the cancer and to help her manage the side-effects of some of the drugs. It has been a challenging journey to say the least. But she’s still smiling. And she still knows everyone’s names.

Today, Kelley is an 11 year-old girl fighting a fight that some of us as adults could never fight. She has courage that is beyond compare. She has love that is beyond human bounds. She craves life. When the nurse gives her a very painful shot, she says “Thank you.” When another nurse comes into her hospital room to give her some of the worst tasting medicine around, she always says, “Tastes good!” This attitude frequently brings her caregivers to tears.

When we were talking to the family about this project, I asked Debbie what the prognosis was this time around. She responded, “We never asked the second time around. The doctors don’t know – only God knows.” That’s faith.

How can you follow Kelley’s story this month? Great question! We will be making daily posts on our Facebook Fan page. And we will be blogging weekly about Kelley on our own website.

Join us for this journey so you too can be touched by Kelley.

 

Day 1 – Playtime at the hospital (Photographer – George)

Kelley told me today that her favorite part of being at the hospital is her interaction with the nurses.  It’s obvious that she’s a favorite of theirs as well.  Today was her third straight day at the hospital for treatment.  She’s hopefully going home tonight…

 

 

 

 

 

How can you help? Donate blood or platelets at Children’s Hospital. Call 617-355-6677 for details or email blooddonorcenter@chboston.org.

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