Dear Mark,
As a pediatric oncology nurse, I have the privilege of meeting the most courageous souls that exist in the tiniest of humans. Let me introduce you to Harper. Born at just 26 weeks, Harper is no stranger to the hospital. Her parents say she was “born a fighter”, having to spend her first few months in the NICU. Harper has spent most of her three years on this earth at the hospital or in doctor’s offices, seeing multiple specialists and overcoming numerous obstacles. Because of her extensive medical history, her parents knew something was wrong when she started showing signs of pain and discomfort in May of this year. When they noticed a lump in the lower part of her abdomen, they immediately took her to the pediatric ER to have her assessed. That lump turned out to be Wilm’s tumor, a type of kidney cancer. This diagnosis and its treatment became yet another obstacle Harper and her family would have to face.
Through it all, Harper has remained “a feisty ray of sunshine”, as perfectly described by her parents. Her energetic spirit and infectious personality can instantly put a smile on anyone’s face. The strength within this little girl is a testament to her resilience in all she has had to overcome. Her parents, Ryan and Lauren, have handled this entire journey with the utmost grace and patience, choosing to remain hopeful no matter what the circumstance.
When our clinic staff sees her name on the schedule, we know it’s going to be a good day because we will get to hear our girl sing! Harper sings during the countless hours she spends in our clinic during each visit. During the pain from needle pokes during port accesses and the side effects like nausea caused by her chemotherapy, she somehow still manages to create joy by belting out one of her favorite tunes.
While this holiday season will look different than previous years for Harper and her family, I know it will still be a special one thanks to the amazing generosity of people like you and your listeners. As You Tube Personality Ms. Rachel’s BIGGEST fan, Harper’s ultimate Christmas wish would be to meet Ms. Rachel and her husband Aron in person. Her song choices during her clinic visits usually consist of music from her favorite shows like Ms. Rachel and Sesame Street, or from her favorite movie, Moana. She also loves anything pink, books, and has recently found a passion for art and would love an easel to help with her drawings. The family’s favorite places to shop are Target, Amazon, and Walmart, and they enjoy eating at Mexican restaurants and Riverboat Pizza. Although the parents say they don’t want anything besides their daughter to be cancer free, we know that mom Lauren loves to read, and Ryan loves music and restoring old Nintendo systems and games. These parents are some of the most selfless people you will ever meet, and they deserve a night out together with gift cards to a local restaurant or even self-care days with gift cards to local spas.
The way this community comes together to support these families and bring smiles to our patients’ faces continues to amaze me each year. I thank you and your listeners from the bottom of my heart, and like our sweet friend Harper, I hope you can find joy this season in Christmas carols and holiday songs!!
Sincerely,
Erinn Kraft, RN
Pediatric Oncology Nurse | Dwayne & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah
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