From 2018 Woman of the Year, Julie McDonough:
“Coley Bear” is a cancer survivor at the age of 7. He is currently in remission thanks to having undergone treatment for nearly half his life. He was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) when he was 2 1/2. What did it take to get him to this point…?
- 3 1/2 years of chemotherapy
- 75+ visits to Children’s Hospital (30 miles round trip)
- 25+ nights in patient stay
- monthly and quarterly spinal taps (chemo injected into his spinal column)
- 1 anaphalactic reaction
- night terrors caused by chemo and steroids
- 41 consecutive months with 5 day “steroid pulses” resulting in weight gain, bloating and emotional outbursts (picture “roid rage” in a 3 year old)
- 4+ years of physical therapy to work on balance, coordination and weakness in his legs caused by certain chemo drugs
- 52,156 CaringBridge visits from family, friends and strangers showing their love and support
