Dorthy's path to recovery

Please Note:

We don't anticipate needing any funds, but we are still in the uncertain stages of her treatment plan.

If don't end up utilizing any of these funds, our plan is to donate them to an according charity or child with major medical needs.

Dorthy's Story:

In mid-February, our four-year-old daughter Dorthy began complaining that she felt like she had bugs crawling under her skin in different parts of her body. She was also very fussy and uncomfortable with her clothes. She had a bruise from the playground that just didn't go away. Thankfully, with mother’s intuition and encouragement from a family member, we decided to get some blood tests done on Tuesday, February 21st. By Friday the 24th, our doctor asked us to take her to Children's Mercy Hospital immediately after the tests showed an extremely high white blood cell count. After some initial tests at Children's Mercy (Kansas City), they confirmed that Dorthy has ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia).

They began to prep her for chemotherapy immediately following that. By Monday, February 27th, they installed a port in her chest and she received her first round of chemo in the same operation. They did a spinal tap to make sure there was no leukemia in her spinal fluid (it was negative) and did a bone marrow biopsy. She's gone through several chemo treatments among other daily medications and has been responding fairly well. This first month will be a series of pretty intense treatments. If all goes well, her leukemia could be in remission at the end of that initial period, but the chemo treatments will continue regardless for the next 2-1/2 years.

Please check back in for more updates on our sweet, fierce Dottie Gray!