Inspirational Stories

In the late summer of 2021, 8-year-old Harper returned to in-person school for the first time since March 2020 for the start of third grade. Shortly after the beginning of the school year, Harper began to complain of headaches and bone pain and would fall deeply asleep each afternoon after school. Her pediatrician chalked it up to the rigors of in-person learning, wearing a mask all day, and indicated that a lot of children were experiencing similar symptoms. During a highly anticipated weekend getaway to the North Carolina coast in early October, Harper’s mom, Heather, noticed swollen lymph nodes and unshakeable fatigue. The following Monday morning, Heather called Harper’s GI team at Duke University Children’s Hospital, and they sprang into action. By Friday of that week, Harper had a diagnosis of pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and was hospitalized to begin treatment.

Though much of those initial weeks after diagnosis remain a blur, Harper and Heather can both recall the shock, fear, and uncertainty that accompanied the diagnosis. They were comforted by the incredible medical professionals and care staff who surrounded them at the start of and throughout this ongoing journey. Harper maneuvered her way into the hearts of her care providers and has made several lifelong friends throughout treatment, and she is widely known for making lemonade out of life’s lemons.

Early in treatment, Harper decided that she wanted to give back and show support for other families going through similar challenges. She designed a t-shirt and launched the Brave Like Harper campaign which raised over $27,000 for cancer research with additional funds also allocated to her treatment expenses. As a result of her campaign, she has been featured in local news, magazines, radio shows, and national newspapers. She has traveled for events, met many special people, and continues to raise awareness about pediatric cancers and the importance of research and support for patients and their families. Everyone she meets is drawn to her spirit, compassion, eloquence, and the sparkle in her eyes, not to mention those freckles!

Harper and her family are eagerly anticipating her end of treatment in February 2024! Since she entered the maintenance phase of her treatment plan in December 2022, Harper has returned to school, taken up horseback riding, and has been thrilled and grateful for each step toward normalcy that she has taken. It’s safe to say that she takes absolutely nothing for granted these days.

Her future plans include staying healthy, getting her port removed, and starting her own non-profit to help provide housing and support for families who come to Durham for their children to receive treatment at Duke Children’s. Harper and her family count their blessings every day for the love and support of their family, friends, and even complete strangers, not to mention their proximity to such a world-class hospital! They are also indebted to the researchers and medical professionals who have made such extraordinary advances in treatment for pediatric cancers so that more kids and families have the chance to take back their lives and continue to pay it forward.

Written by family member.