My name is Marjolie Correa. I have just celebrated my 17th birthday. I live in Providence, Rhode Island.

It was Valentine's Day of my sophomore year of high school. The night before, I felt like my leg had fallen asleep, and no matter what I did, I couldn't get it to stop. The morning of the 14th, I woke up in such pain that I was crying and screaming for my parents. I could quite literally feel the pain in my bone. I punched my leg. I jumped up and down. I was doing anything I could think of to get rid of the horrible pain. I told my mom to take me to the hospital.

My mom, dad, and brother were all trying to get ready to go to work and school and even thought that I was just trying to take a day off from school myself. I felt terrible that I was causing a commotion, but the pain in my leg was unforgiving. I got in the car with my brother and mom. I had convinced my mom that I needed to go to the hospital, but first, we dropped my brother off at school. Then we drove to the hospital.

We arrived at about 8:00 am, and I was there until about 4:00 pm while they ran tests, took blood, and gave me substantial painkillers. I was given some food to eat but vomited. Eventually, a doctor came in and informed us that I had Acute Lymphoid Leukemia and had to be transferred to Hasbro Children's Hospital immediately for treatment. From February 14 - March 11, 2024 I was in the hospital getting lumbar punctures, MRIs, X-rays, bone marrow biopies and chemotherapy. Since then, my life has been full of appointments, hospital stays, chemotherapy, and its side effects. I have lost weight and my hair. We will now begin treatment in Boston.

Your kind and generous donations will help my family and me purchase things I need such as wigs and hats, a ramp for the house, and other equipment. I am on a very strict organic diet which is costly for my parents, especially with today's inflation. Now with treatment moving to Boston, my parents will incur costs related to travel.

Thank you!