Angelica, At age 6, Leukemia
When Angelica began to experience persistent fevers, soreness, and a loss of appetite, her mother grew increasingly worried. Over a period of four months, Angelica lost an alarming amount of weight. Doctors couldn’t pinpoint the reason why. Angelica underwent a series of tests that revealed she suffered from acute myeloid leukemia. Her family was devastated. “My world crashed to a halt,” said Angelica’s mother. At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, Angelica’s treatment includes chemotherapy. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since it opened 50 years ago. In the warm summer months, Angelica loves to splash in the pool with her friends. “Everything about Angelica is special,” her mom said. “Her smile, her playfulness, her whole life; because she’s happy, I’m happy.”
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