Help Baby Frankie Fight Leukemia
Calling all lovers, fighters, and supporters to help Baby Frankie in her fight against Leukemia.
On September 16th, 2017, Natalie and Rocco welcomed the newest addition to their family, Francesca Persephone Maren Hollenbeck. This tiny lady, "Frankie", who is not yet big enough to fill out her name, was brought into Urgent Care for cold-like symptoms on Sunday, November 12th. Instead of being sent home with an antibiotic to treat her small cold, Natalie and Frankie were rushed by ambulance to Golisano Children's Hospital, where Baby Frankie was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia - just four days shy of her 2 Month Birthday. 
What does that mean?
AML is an aggressive form of cancer that replaces normal bone marrow with leukemic cells - you can learn more from an AML survivor here. The long and the short of it is that this sweet girl will go through more before her 1st Birthday than most do in a lifetime.
What does treatment look like?
Over the next four-plus months, Frankie's immediate treatment plan will include a minimum of 7 rounds of chemotherapy to fight the existing cancer, along with extensive care and monitoring of her immune system. Depending on how her body responds to chemo, she may then be in need of a bone marrow transplant. Because she's such a wee little thing and her immune system is so weak, she'll be a permanent resident of Golisano Children's Hospital, to keep her as far from germs and infection as possible. Mom and Dad will be working to find a balance between keeping her big siblings' schedules as normal as possible, while making the 45 minute drive between the hospital and home.
She's so little, how's she doing?
She is already proving to be extremely strong-willed (she's got the mean-mug toward nurses administering her meds down pat), but she has a lot of fighting left to do. She continues to surprise her doctors with how well she is responding to treatment, and she's quickly stolen the hearts of everyone on the cancer wing (no surprise there, just look at her). The road to remission will be long , but her family is choosing to live every day in love and hope. 
How can you help?
Frankie's family is asking your help to cover the enormous costs of her medical treatment, term of residency at Golisano Children's Hospital, and the sacrifices that Mom and Dad will make for her care and to keep her brother, Jackson, and sister, Brie's lives as normal as possible. Because Natalie will be full-time with Miss Frankie, their family income will effectively be cut in half. We're asking your help to ease the financial burden that Frankie's diagnosis has and will continue to put on the family, so they can focus on loving their little girl through treatment. The best way you can help is in thoughts, prayers, and monetary donation to Frankie's GoFundMe. She is small, but with your help, we know her fight and triumph will be mighty. Team Frankie!
I will be updating this page as Frankie progresses through treatment. Thank you for your generosity, love, and support! #FrankieisaFighter #SmallbutMighty #FrankieStrong #FrankTheTank
