Inspirational Stories

My daughter Sarah was a fun, smart, and scrappy kid. She was a great student, was involved in Student Council, was President of her class, played in the marching band, and played rugby. She had caught a cold around Thanksgiving of 2010. By December 7, she was in the hospital. We were told she had acute myeloid leukemia (AML). I wasn’t even sure what leukemia was, but I knew it was serious. I was hoping in a few months she would be okay, and we would move on with life.

Sarah had the FLT3 strain of AML. It is the worst of the worst, less than 3% survived at the time. Sarah fought through numerous treatments, new chemotherapies, radiation, spinal punctures, and an incredible amount of sickness caused by both leukemia and the treatments.

My daughter was an incredible fighter. She loved life, her friends, and family, and had big plans for her life. AML took my Sarah’s life, and she left us the morning of July 3 as I held her.

I will never stop fighting to help raise funds for a cure and to help patients as they go through this horrible disease. I do not want anyone or any family to have to suffer. I share my story so we can continue to advance against this disease. Leukemia took Sarah’s life, but it never conquered her spirit. Her spirit lives on and is still fighting.

Written by a family member.