Kendal Beffre's Story

This story is truly heart wrenching. This is the story of a beautiful 10 year old girl named Kendal Beffre. She is a student of Centredale Elementary School in North Providence, Rhode Island. Her story and journey began in July of 2014, when she started to feel pain in her hip which she thought was a pulled muscle from playing softball. Her parents took her to the doctors for X-rays and blood work, all which came back negative. She was still in extreme pain and wanted to go back to the doctors. After numerous visits, her mother Cheryl demanded an MRI. When the results came back, the doctors told her parents she had a very large mass which they believed to be cancer. Further testing needed to be done. On November 22, 2014, they were told Kendal did indeed have cancer. She was diagnosed with a rare type of stage 4 fast moving cancer called alveolar rhabdomyosarca. This mass took up her whole hip and wrapped around her buttocks, her inner thigh, as well as her lumbar 1 and 2 and her lymph nodes in her abdomen. The mass was intertwined with her nerves, it was pressing on her sciatic nerve causing nerve damage, drop foot and the onset of neuropathy. Kendal needed to immediately receive 52 weeks of chemotherapy as well as 36 straight days of radiation. This was devastating to the family. After telling her the news Kendal has two questions 1) "Am I going to die?" And 2) Am I going to loose my hair?" This was the first time they truly witnessed Kendal break down into tears. She immediately went on 3 weeks of chemo and started to loose her hair instantly. The next day, she looked at her mom and said "mom, I would rather loose all my hair if it means I will live." Kendal's courage is something to be seen by all. She is the strongest little girl you will ever meet. Her will and desire to keep living is what keeps her parents going everyday in the face of extremely grave circumstances. She just wants to be a normal child and bask in her love for softball and cheerleading again. In order for her mother to take care of Kendal, she had to quit her job since she needed 24 hour care. Her father Owen, has been working non-stop to support his wife and 4 daughters which all attend North Providence Schools. As parents, they are doing everything they can to support their children and keep afloat with their bills. The Beffre family needs our help and this is hard to ask for because they are very proud people. However, her parents look into their daughters eyes everyday and see the fight and determination she is showing in this monumental battle, it gives them strength to leave their pride at the door and ask for assistance. No matter what Kendal has to endure, she does it with a smile. Kendal has the heart of a lion and the will of a superhero in her desperate fight. She will not stop fighting for her . As a parent, I can't even imagine what this family has endured. My heart breaks for all of them. This is truly a time we all need to come together and show our support. I beg you to please share my status. Whatever we can do to help them will make the world of difference. Kendal is a warrior, an angel from God and a child whom doesn't deserve this.