Shailey is a kindergarten student who will be turning six this April. Shailey’s mom, Skye, first noticed a large lump in her neck and took her to their family doctor who prescribed Shailey antibiotics. When that didn’t help, Skye took Shailey to see an ENT. After she was tested for cat-scratch fever with negative results, Shailey had a biopsy and was diagnosed with cancer the next week.
“It quickly climbed from stage one to stage two, then stage three, and finally, after a PET scan, we found out she was stage four,” said Skye. “Thankfully it wasn’t in her bone marrow.”
Shailey had a PICC line placed and then her medi-port. She loves that her Chemo Duck, Quackley, has a port just like she did.
After two rounds of chemo, Shailey was approved for clinical trials immediately. The good news? The cancer is mostly gone!
Shailey has completed three rounds and has been taking everything like a champion! “We had a rough patch after the first round and she ended up getting cellulitis in her eye, along with the flu and sinusitis,” said Skye, “Two more rounds, no radiation and she should be done!”
Shailey really misses school, but she gets to Skype with her class every Friday and she has a Monkey in her school chair to help the class be part of her journey.
Shailey has learned how to rig up an IV and IV bag to give Quackley her medicine! She loves playing with her Chemo Duck and helping Quackley get better, too.
Skye jokes, “I think we have a future nurse on our hands here.”
Thank you to Skye and Shailey for sharing your story with us. We are all rooting for you!