Penelope Zeuschner Fighting Leukemia Again

Hello friends, family, and supporters of Penelope This is her big sister Samantha, speaking on behalf of my parents, Dennis and Michelle Zeuschner. On the 31st of August 2022, three months after completing 2 ½ years of treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and being told she was cured, our family received devastating news. Penelope was feeling sick, not eating, saying her stomach and bones hurt. Her mom and dad were familiar with these symptoms and had lab tests and a subsequent bone marrow biopsy done which revealed that Penelope’s Leukemia had returned. She was immediately admitted to Stanford’s Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, were she is already undergoing extensive treatment. Unfortunately, since the doctors know that the first 2.5 years of treatment didn’t result in a cure, she will need more aggressive treatment. This will include radiation, more aggressive chemotherapies, and ultimately, a bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow biopsy and spinal fluid is being tested to better understand how best to help Penelope. We will know more soon. Our family appreciated all the help and support from everyone during Penelope’s initial treatment. We hope that the combined efforts of everyone whose hearts have been touched by Penelope can help once again to BEAT CHILDHOOD CANCER and kick leukemia’s butt! Mom or dad will be always with Penelope while in the hospital and Zander is doing well at home with alternating parents. We thank you for your support from the bottom of our hearts. How can you help? In addition to contributing to GoFundMe, Since Penelope and other beautiful babies like her will need a stem cell transplant, you can help by seeing if you are a match. We humbly ask that you register to see if you are a match to be a potential bone marrow transplant donor. The painless oral cheek swab kit is free and takes about 5 minutes to register. To learn more about bone marrow donations and the process, and to get your free kit, please visit the website https://bethematch.org/become-a-donor/ . It takes many potential donors being tested to find one match. You can help by asking coworkers and friends to order the free kit. You don’t have to be a relative to be a match. It’s like winning a small lottery. More chances give better hope for a match. From our family to yours, we thank you for supporting Penelope’s fight against Leukemia.