Avery’s story: A tiny dancer beats leukemia.
Every year in the U.S., 3,500 to 4,000 children are diagnosed with leukemia. That’s about 30% of all childhood cancers. Leukemia is a type of cancer that develops in the bone marrow. New blood cells don’t grow properly, which leads to production of many of these immature cells.
The most common type in children often is very treatable, and here is one little girl’s story.
A Father’s Day we’ll never forget
In 2022, 2-year-old Avery Money was being treated for anemia. When some bloodwork came back with concerning results, a sample was sent to a pathologist. The family received the scary news in a call just a day later: Avery most likely had leukemia. Blood tests showed too many white blood cells and not enough red blood cells and/or platelets in her blood. In the blood sample, 11% was blasts, or immature blood cells normally found only in the bone marrow. These signal leukemia.
B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
The official diagnosis was B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), which is an aggressive blood cancer and the most common type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
“We got the news, and she started treatment on Father’s Day 2022,” said Avery’s mom, Morgan. “Anytime you get the news that your child has a major medical issue, you wonder how you’re going to make it through.”
The family sat together and cried, but mom and dad regrouped and knew they would get through it.
The next steps for Avery included the placement of a port catheter, a bone marrow biopsy and a lumbar puncture.
“We planned things about a month at a time, but it really depended on how she was doing,” Morgan said. “We can tell if she’s feeling up to doing something or not.”
Avery understood that her blood wasn’t doing what it was supposed to, and that doctors and nurses were working to help her feel better.
“She understands that she won’t get as tired as she used to, she won’t have the leg pain she had,” Morgan said. “We realized later that her leg pain was a first sign of leukemia.”
Support from staff meant so much
“The staff at Norton Children’s Cancer Institute were absolutely amazing,” Morgan said. “They helped us understand the medications Avery would need to take; they took time to make sure she felt safe and comfortable.”
She even got to visit with facility dog Luna, who works with cancer patients at Norton Children’s.
For 26 months, Avery continued treatment, and on Aug. 20, 2024, she got to ring the large brass bell inside the Novak Center for Children’s Health at Norton Children’s Cancer Institute that patients ring to mark the end of their cancer treatment.
“It was a milestone for our family,” Morgan said.
Now, Avery is a thriving 4-year-old who loves to dance and is ready to start dance class.