|
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
LAKE RIDGE, VIRGINIA (Patch.com) - On April 4, 2011, Julianna Nicholson was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She went through chemotherapy treatments over the next year, her hair fell out and she missed school. But now Julianna is cancer-free and is helping spread the word locally about leukemia.
Julianna, now 6, attends The Merit School off of Spriggs Road is an honored student of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Pennies For Patients Program. But Julianna’s fight began with the flu.
Lingering Flu, Doctors Visits Give Diagnosis
Julianna’s mom, Lori Nicholson remembers her daughter’s flu symptoms from nearly a year ago as “awful.”
“Her fever just wouldn’t break. We thought, this is hitting her really hard, this is awful,” said Nicholson. “The flu symptoms went away and then following week she would vomit every couple of days.”
Nicholson took Julianna to the pediatrician several times and doctors said Julianna had allergies.
“She has allergies, nasal drippage and that’s what’s making her gag. Give her some allergy medicine and she’ll be okay,” said Nicholson.
But Nicholson said her daughter hadn’t had allergies before. The family tried the medicine for a few weeks until things got worse with Julianna.
“She couldn’t eat, she was so weak that she couldn’t stand. She was crying out in pain and she had bruises all over her legs. The next Monday morning I said, 'No, something’s really, really wrong,'” said Nicholson.
And back to the doctors they went.
Diagnosis, a year-long struggle
Nicholson said blood work needed to be done to see what was going on with Julianna’s body.
“That afternoon we got a call saying, ‘You’re being admitted to the hospital,'” said Nicholson. “Julianna received two transfusions that night and had a bone marrow aspirate and leukemia was confirmed."
Julianna went on chemotherapy to target the blood disease; Nicholson recalls it was an extremely tough process on the six-year-old’s body.
“She had really bad side effects. She lost the ability to walk for three weeks. One of the chemo drugs targets the joints and the muscles and that hit her badly. Kids are put on steroids during leukemia treatment and she had negative side effects including blood sugar imbalance, which required insulin shots,” said Nicholson. “We had to prick her little fingers multiple times a day.”
Chemotherapy put a strain on Julianna’s body, but was an overwhelming emotional rollercoaster for the Nicholson family.
“She is very amazing, because through it all she has had a smile on her face and has the best attitude,” said Nicholson of Julianna. “We explained to her very early on that she would lose her hair.”
Julianna’s response?
“It’s okay, Mommy. I’m still going to be me,” said Nicholson.
Julianna received treatment from the Children’s National Medical Center, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Nicholson says at the clinic where Julianna was treated there is an art center for kids to draw while they are receiving their chemotherapy; something Julianna loved to do.
Maintenance Mode
Nicholson says her daughter is a trooper and her superhero. Throughout it all, she’s maintained the spunk of a six-year-old.
“We are in a very good place right now. We have started the maintenance,” said Nicholson. “It’s continuing to maintain a cancer-free state, she’ll be on maintenance for two years.”
Julianna receives at-home chemotherapy treatments while also going to school. She returned to the Merit School this January, but it’s a play-it-by-ear situation for how long she will be physically at school while she continues at-home chemo treatment.
Nicholson says Julianna is reading at a third grade level, and is doing well catching up; despite the obstacle of doing cancer treatment while being in school.
Nicholson described Julianna as a “typical little girl” despite her diagnosis. “She loves coloring, painting, making jewelry. You can’t get her away from Littlest Pet Shop.”
How Pennies for Patients works
Julianna is now the face of leukemia locally in Woodbridge. She was chosen by LLS to be the honored student in the area, essentially serving as a spokesperson for leukemia, treatment and recovery.
The National Capital Area Chapter of LLS is running the Pennies for Patients program across 425 Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. schools that will collect change in honor of local students battling cancer.
School coordinators work with the teachers, students and parents to share Julianna’s story, and teach the importance of giving back and teamwork to help them achieve their goals.
The three-week fundraising program is in its tenth year, and this year 20 Woodbridge-area schools will be participating in the change-collection to raise funds for research, patient services, educational programs and advocacy through LLS.
Nicholson said when LLS asked if Julianna would be the honored student, the family said they’d do anything to help spread the word about the cause.
“Julianna is very upfront and matter-of-fact about her diagnosis with people,” said Nicholson. “We knew that she would be able to get up in front of other students and people to talk about what she has.”
Julianna’s school held its Pennies for Patients program in February, but Fred Lynn Middle School will be starting its drive March 5.
Fred Lynn is an “Elite Pennies School” because they have participated in the program for ten years. The school has raised more than $10,0000 for blood cancer research and patient programs according to LLS.
Copyright 2013 Patch.com
(Copyright
Terms)
Updated 444 days ago Article ID# 1477534
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
View
Charity Profile
Visit Website
|
|
|
|
Bridgeton students raise more than $5,000 for Leukemia Society
|
|
17 hours ago From Gloucester County Times
|
|
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY - BRIDGETON =97 The Pennies for Patients Committee of Broad Street School along with the students, their families, staff and administration joined in the fight against leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. The school began with a kick-off assembly in which, ...
|
|
|
|
|
Lyman's locks for Lymphoma, Leukemia
|
|
6 days ago From Beloit Daily News
|
|
BELOIT, WISCONSIN - Barber Willie House trims Beloit Memorial High School social studies teacher Lyman Elliott's hair after students raised $4,300 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Elliott had wore long hair for as long as he could remember and said he'd on ...
|
|
|
|
|
Clanton Elementary recognized for Pennies for Patients fundraising
|
|
12 days ago From Clanton Advertiser
|
|
CLANTON, ALABAMA - Pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters are not the only forms of change students at Clanton Elementary School have provided for leukemia and lymphoma patients in the past four years. By participating in a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Societ ...
|
|
|
|
|
St. Raphael students raise money for cancer patients and research
|
|
16 days ago From Sun Star Courier
|
|
CLEVELAND, OHIO - Junior high students participated in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's school and youth program Pennies for Patients, which raises funding for blood cancer research and patient aid. As in past years, the seventh and eighth grade students compet ...
|
|
|
|
|
Northvail School Collects Pennies for Patients
|
|
17 days ago From Patch.com
|
|
PARSIPPANY, NEW JERSEY - One penny at a time, Parsippany schoolkids are making a difference at Northvail Elementary School, where students are participating in the "Pennies for Patients" Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraiser. Under the coordination of teacher Tr ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| <<
Return To
Health
News |
|
|
