Meet Juliana – Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma Warrior
"We really appreciate The National Children’s Cancer Society - their help means one less thing we have to worry about so we can concentrate on taking care of Juliana." -Tammy, Juliana’s mother.
It was February 2007 when Juliana’s family received the shocking news. Five-year old Juliana was diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer. Over the next year Juliana underwent 14 rounds of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation. After all that intense treatment, Juliana was deemed cancer-free with no evidence of the disease. She received follow-up scans every three to four months and remained cancer-free for the next three years.
Then in March, 2011, Juliana relapsed. The doctors recommended another 12 rounds of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiation. Following this latest round of treatment, Juliana was once again cancer-free and was able to go home and live life without cancer.
Unfortunately, Juliana’s remission was somewhat short-lived when she relapsed a second time just 15 months later. She is currently in treatment and her plan includes another 12 rounds of chemotherapy with radiation to follow.
The National Children’s Cancer Society has helped Juliana and her family with expenses for food and travel over the past year. “We live over 40 miles from the hospital and Juliana has to spend five days inpatient at the hospital plus at least four days outpatient with each round of chemo,” explains her mom, Tammy.
Additionally, when Juliana starts radiation again the family will have to travel to the hospital every day for six weeks. “We really appreciate The National Children’s Cancer Society—their help means one less thing we have to worry about so we can concentrate on taking care of Juliana,” says Tammy.