Chloe’s leukemia battle: ‘My knees just gave way’ – Children’s Cancer Institute

Children’s Cancer Institute shared the following on LinkedIn:

“Chloe was a happy 9-year-old who loved gymnastics and school. But when Chloe didn’t seem to be getting better from a cold, and spiked a temperature, Chloe’s dad Luke took her to the GP.

‘Luke rang me to say he’d been told to take her to hospital for some blood tests to see what was going on,’ recalls mum Melissa.

A few hours later, he called again. I could hear him sobbing on the phone. I said, ‘It’s cancer, isn’t it?’ He said, ‘Yes, she’s got leukemia.’ My knees just gave way.

When Melissa got to the hospital, she found herself in a whole new world. ‘I was talking to other parents and someone asked me, “What does your daughter have?” I said, “Acute myeloid leukemia.” They asked, “Is that the good one or the bad one?” And I’m thinking, what the **** is a good cancer? No cancer is a good cancer. I later found out we had the bad one.’

Then Chloe’s doctor dropped the bombshell that Chloe had a high-risk cancer, and would need a bone marrow transplant. So Melissa stepped in to give Chloe her own stem cells.

Thankfully, the procedure went better than expected. Chloe made it home, and Melissa says life felt good.

Soon after Chloe’s 1yr anniversary, Luke took her in for a checkup. ‘When he got home, I could hear him slam the keys in the drawer. He looked at me and I just knew.’

Chloe’s cancer was back. The next week, they were back in hospital for more treatment, with more chemo and a second transplant, this time with Luke as her donor.

‘It was different this time,’ Melissa says. ‘It was much harsher, with radiation. She couldn’t eat or drink for a month and struggled with the pain.’

Chloe returned home in March 2024. Today, she’s is no longer on treatment and is doing well.

Melissa says ‘We need to do better, not just for the kids, but for the families. We need more money to get better treatments, better outcomes, and better quality of life. Every dollar counts.’

This Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, please help us find better treatment options, and ultimately a CURE for all children with cancer.

Donate today.

A life should be long.”

Source: Children’s Cancer Institute/LinkedIn