Aurora's battle with Leukemia

On Feb 18, 2022, our daughter Aurora was diagnosed with High-risk B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer most common in young children because Aurora just turned 11yrs old on the 7th of Feb she was placed on the high-risk end of this disease. Nothing in LIFE can ever prepare you for Cancer! As parents, it was our absolute worst nightmare. Only a few weeks before this, while Aurora and I were hanging out, we wondered what was causing her all this pain, and Aurora said, “maybe it's Cancer.” Not knowing she would be right.

Aurora was a healthy growing girl before she started experiencing leg pain. She was enrolled in after school program where she played soccer, tag, touch football, and crafts, learned how to cook scrambled eggs and pancakes, and completed homework with the help of classmates and some staff members. She was a typical soon-to-be pre-teen but with an attitude of a 16year old.

But a few days before the 2022 new year, she began experiencing excruciating pain in her left leg. Her pediatrician first saw Aurora in Urgent care. After numerous appointments and tests (Blood workup, X-rays, CT scan, 2 MRIs), Her pediatrician could not make a diagnosis or 100% alleviate Aurora's pain. Because of this, her pediatrician and I started working on getting a referral started to CHOC (Children's Hospital Orange County), but after a couple of weeks of waiting, we had not heard from CHOC.

During all this time, Aurora spent weeks laid in bed exhausted; fevers now accompanied her leg pain. She had also lost a considerable amount of weight. Due to fevers and no diagnosis, Aurora could not return to school. A few weeks later, Aurora started to become allergic to her pain meds; her pediatrician was not available for another week, so we met with another Pediatrician with a same-day appointment.

During the appointment, this new Dr. heard our concerns, and immediately after examining Aurora, the Dr. urged us to rush to the CHOC ER. She encouraged us to rush to CHOC ER to fast-track the referral but to first stop at her pediatrician’s office and gather copies of all paperwork, test results, and scans from her past appointments regarding her leg pain.

On the evening of Feb 15th, while at the CHOC ER, Aurora's pain was finally alleviated. We were so thankful that she was finally able to rest pain-free. With all the documents and history covering his questions, the ER doctor pulled Jeremy and me away and told us he suspected Cancer. Fighting tears and the urge to break down, we returned to Rora’s side. She was immediately admitted to the 5th floor on the oncology wing, where we spent 11 days. The first few days were based on Aurora’s history, but most importantly, they wanted to manage her pain and her fevers to subside. The oncology team knew this was some type of leukemia, but they needed more tests to diagnose her truly. Aurora was scheduled for two procedures: a lumbar puncture and a bone marrow biopsy.

On Feb 18th Jeremy and I met with her oncology team, who diagnosed her with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Aurora began treatment that same day. This treatment plan would span over 2.5 years. Aurora has undergone procedures to insert a stent called a pick line in her arm due to complications and daily challenges. It was removed, and a device the shape and size of a quarter called a port catheter was placed in her chest where all the IV medications and Chemotherapy treatment could be administered. She’s had numerous lumbar punctures. Chemotherapy treatments consist of steroids, oral medications and IV therapy. All of these will help clear her body of cancer while making it very difficult for her to be herself. She’s needed blood and platelet transfusions to give her a boost here and there during the rough times.

Due to her being immunocompromised, she was enrolled in a home/hospital program

to complete the 2021 and 2022-2023 school years. As her condition puts her at a very high risk of infection, we have sacrificed many family functions and club gatherings. And very soon, we’ll have to sacrifice holidays without our friends and family.

The cost of Leukemia treatment is approximately $100,000+. Even with medical insurance, it has only covered so much. Aurora has had 1-4 clinic visits a week

throughout the past few months. She’s already spent four months’ worth of hospital stays and clinic visits, but this is only the beginning. She will have treatment for the next 2.5 years.

We need to reach out to you, our friends and our family to help us help our baby girl Aurora fight this scary, nasty disease. No amount is too small. All funds will go directly to the care and well-being of Aurora.

We know that Aurora is loved by many. Thank you to our family and friends who have already reached out to us. Please continue to keep Aurora and our family in your prayers. Please help us reach our goal by sharing our story/fundraiser.

The Dlg-Lewis Family

Jeremy, Jadine and Aurora