Lenny has always been a girl who loves to move. The 9-year-old enjoys playing sports, spending time outside and expressing herself through art and music. When she began complaining about leg pain during a family summer vacation, her parents thought it was part of being an active kid. They also wondered if it could be growing pains. They never imagined it would lead to a childhood cancer diagnosis.
From Leg Pain to a Childhood Cancer Diagnosis
Lenny’s leg pain continued into the fall when she started playing softball. Her parents took her to her pediatrician and a sports medicine physician. They wanted to find out what was causing the pain.
An X-ray was performed to check for an injury, a pulled muscle or an issue with her growth plate.
Instead, doctors found a tumor growing in her hip bone.
Over the next two weeks, Lenny underwent a CT scan, PET scan and biopsy. The tests confirmed that she had Hodgkin lymphoma.
The diagnosis was unexpected for Lenny and her family. Like many parents, Shelley and Chris knew their daughter could get hurt playing sports. Childhood cancer was never something they imagined they would face.
One of Lenny’s symptoms also helped doctors narrow down her diagnosis. She experienced intense itching throughout her body. This symptom can be associated with Hodgkin lymphoma.
A Fast and Aggressive Treatment Plan
After Lenny had a port placed, she began chemotherapy the following week. Her treatment moved quickly.
Lenny completed five rounds of chemotherapy. Treatments were spaced three weeks apart.
During treatment weeks, Lenny often spent Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the clinic. Some days lasted as long as 10 hours.
“We’re very thankful for everyone at the clinic. They were on top of treating her and being there for our daughter,” said Shelley, Lenny’s mom.
After chemotherapy, Lenny completed 14 rounds of radiation. The treatment targeted the tumor in her chest.
Support for Lenny and Her Family
Throughout Lenny’s treatment, Four Diamonds was there to support her and her family.
When Lenny had her port placed, a Four Diamonds social worker met with them and reviewed the ways Four Diamonds could help. Some of these supports included covering eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses and providing meal and gas vouchers.
For Shelley, that support lifted a tremendous weight.
She remembers going home after that appointment. She looked at her husband, Chris, and cried. They had one less thing to worry about, which meant a lot, especially on those days their daughter felt her worst.
“You don’t know if your kid is going to make it. Without the financial burden, it allowed me and Chris to be Lenny’s parents, her advocate, her best friend, her puke catcher,” said Shelley. “We could ask any questions without wondering how we are going to pay for this.”
Finding Joy During Treatment
Even during long days of treatment, Lenny found ways to stay motivated.
She kept a chemotherapy countdown calendar. Each day, she looked forward to removing another number. She would FaceTime her family and celebrate each milestone. Every number brought her closer to conquering childhood cancer.
Lenny also arrived at the clinic with a backpack filled with comfort items. Her favorites included her blanket and oyster crackers.
During long treatment days, she looked forward to familiar activities. These included Bingo Wednesday and shows on the hospital’s closed-circuit television.
Most of all, Lenny found comfort in the relationships she built with her care team.
“The connections Lenny made with her nurses and providers made the hard days a lot easier to manage,” Shelley said. “Lenny was excited to see her nurses even when it would be a tough day.”
Her Four Diamonds care team provided support beyond her medical treatment. A Four Diamonds music therapist helped soothe Lenny during treatment. Her Four Diamonds art therapist gave her a creative way to process what she was experiencing.
Support Beyond Cancer Treatment
The location of Lenny’s cancer affected the way she walked. She needed physical therapy to learn how to walk correctly again.
Four Diamonds helped ease that burden by covering the cost of her physical therapy.
For Lenny and her family, support meant having people beside them through every part of her journey. That support extended beyond chemotherapy and radiation.
Celebrating a New Normal
Today, life is beginning to settle into a new rhythm for Lenny and her family.
After treatment ended, Lenny returned to school full time. She is excited to be a kid again.
She will continue to be monitored for signs that her cancer has returned. Her care team will also watch for any long-term effects of treatment.
Her family knows things may never feel exactly as they did before her diagnosis. They have learned to appreciate the moments in front of them.
They celebrate after every scan and test. Often, that means something simple but meaningful, like ice cream.
“Things will always be a little different, but we’re slowly getting back there,” Shelley said.
For Lenny, getting back there means returning to the things that make her who she is. It means school, sports, creativity, family and time outside.
After a year filled with appointments, treatments and uncertainty, Lenny is looking forward to once again being on the move. She is happy to have something every kid deserves: the opportunity to just be a kid again.
