Dear Mark,
Emmy is the sweetest 4-year-old cowgirl the State of Georgia has ever seen! There simply aren’t enough words to describe the kind of joy and compassion that radiates this extraordinary girl. Emmy has the type of soul that loves deeply and is deeply loved by everyone who meets her. Just a few moments and you’ll be captivated by her bright smile, infectious giggle, and darling southern accent.
Emmy’s parents brought her to the hospital, trying to determine the cause of her excessive bruising. When I walked into her room, I saw this little girl with bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and blonde hair curled into ringlets. As she played with a doctor’s kit on her bed, I introduced myself as her nurse. Without skipping a beat, Emmy began handing her toys to me so I could play with her. As we played together, she started calling me “Sunny,” and even though her mom tried to correct her, she had made up her mind; I was always and forever going to be “Sunny.” I beamed with pride at the thought that this little ray of sunshine felt I was special enough to earn such a bright nickname.
Last November Emmy’s test results indicated B-cell leukemia. Before long, we were seeing Emmy regularly for her treatments, and though she was little, she wasn’t hard to find! Socializing at the nurses’ station or being a big helper when it came to setting up rooms for new patients, this little light never missed an opportunity to help other people or to brighten their day. She’d talk to anyone and everyone about the horses she rides (she’s quite the cowgirl, remember) and her little brother Logan.
Some days, her little body was fighting so hard that she just didn’t have the energy to be that social butterfly. On those days, she would cuddle up with me and try to relax while I cared for her. These days weren’t so bright.
Emmy has traded out her blonde ringlets for a bright blonde pixie cut. Her body bears scars that tell the stories of countless procedures, needle pokes, blood transfusions, and multiple rounds of chemotherapy. At the tender age of 4 years old, Emmy has experienced loneliness from being excluded from activities due to her illness. She’s already familiar with heartache, having to leave her little brother and her dad at home for one hospital stay after another. But She. Is. A. Warrior, a fighter who won’t let this horrible disease break her spirit or take her light.
Emmy has a strong family that fiercely battles by her side with strength and love.
And she doesn’t fight alone because of YOU Mark and your family of listeners fighting alongside them; you will never know the joy that your generosity has brought to this special little girl and her incredible family.
Emmy’s mom says she has finally reached the maintenance phase, which is a huge step for Emmy and her family. They are excited to be moving forward.
Emmy and her family are thrilled to have been chosen as one of your Wish List families! When she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian. For Christmas this year, she hopes for an outdoor playhouse where she can swing with her friends, slide down the slide, and live out her fantasies! Her 2-year-old brother Logan would love toy trucks and tractors! Her family enjoys eating out together at Texas Roadhouse and trying different Mexican restaurants after shopping at Target and Walmart.
Thank you for making the wishes of our families come true. I’m honored and grateful that you will bring a little extra light to Emmy and her family this year.
Merry Christmas!
Summer (Sunny) O’Hara, RN
Pediatric Oncology Nurse
Memorial Health Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah
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