Until she was in second grade, Ne’Mya was a typical kid. She was happy, full of energy and loved playing with her four brothers. Then her parents noticed some changes.
“She seemed more tired and lethargic than usual,” explained her mom, Nekisha. “And to my surprise, I later found out her older brothers had been carrying her to and from school because she was so exhausted. I also noticed her stomach was swollen and hard to the touch, and she had a fever.”
Nekisha took Ne’Mya to a nearby emergency department where they were given antibiotics for strep.
“But when her fever didn’t break, I knew something was wrong. We were transported by ambulance to Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn, where they did X-rays and other tests. They were 99% sure it was leukemia; we were praying for the 1% chance that it wasn’t.”
Tests confirmed the devastating news: Ne’Mya had leukemia. Under the care of Dr. Jason Canner, a pediatric hematology-oncology specialist at Advocate Children’s, Ne’Mya immediately began chemotherapy.
“The treatment kept her in the hospital for the next month,” said Nekisha. “This was a very tough time for our whole family, but we relied heavily on our faith.”
At first, the treatment appeared to be working. But after a brief remission, the leukemia came back aggressively and had moved into Ne’Mya’s spinal fluids. Over the next three months, Ne’Mya would endure more than 100 spinal taps in addition to another round of chemo.
“During this time, she lost her hair and experienced many challenges. I was by her side through it all, reminding her how beautiful she was with or without her hair.”
Following the second round of chemo, her family was relieved when Ne’Mya’s blood levels appeared normal. Unfortunately, the cancer returned yet again.
“Ne’Mya had to have a bone marrow transplant,” explained Nekisha. “Everyone in our family was tested to see if one of us was a match, and one of her older brothers was a match. He was so grateful to be able to help his little sister.”
The bone marrow transplant and follow-up care were done at another hospital, where Ne’Mya stayed for more than a month.
“Ne’Mya is a fighter. She spent nearly all of second and third grades in and out of hospitals. It was tough, but she kept up with her schoolwork thanks to hospital school services. Her brothers also stepped right in to help out and keep her spirits up.”
The bone marrow transplant was successful, but the radiation treatments and chemotherapy she received as part of her transplant caused many late side effects. The chemotherapy and radiation affected her heart, her bone density and will also cause concerns about fertility as she gets older.
“We knew she would need follow-up care into adulthood, and we knew we wanted to return to Advocate Children’s for her care,” shared Nekisha. “I was confident Advocate Children’s could provide support and follow-up for all the challenges that Ne’Mya would have to deal with, and I felt so comfortable with Dr. Canner and the team of nurses. It’s a comfortable environment that feels like home for us – a place where they made us feel like Ne’Mya was more than a patient.”
Beyond treatment
Ne’Mya and her family were introduced to the Pediatric Oncology Survivors in Transition (P.O.S.T.) program at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn. The P.O.S.T. program helps patients who have survived cancer to stay healthy after treatment. P.O.S.T. educate patients, parents and health care providers about the long-term effects of cancer treatment and provide referrals to specialists as needed.
The program also offers psychological counseling and guidance to help navigate any school, vocational and neurocognitive concerns. Patients are cared for by a team of pediatric oncologists, nurse coordinators, social workers, therapists, dietitians, school support liaisons and pediatric neuropsychologists. This work is done with the singular goal of ensuring survivors are equipped to lead long and healthy lives.
“Today, Ne’Mya is 14 years old and just finishing her freshman year in high school. She has found a love for dancing, bowling and all things culinary.”
Through the support of the P.O.S.T. program, she continues to have regular follow-up appointments with her pediatric oncologist, orthopedic physician and cardiologist. She also sees a fertility specialist.
“We are so grateful for everyone at Advocate Children’s Hospital who has helped care for Ne’Mya and our entire family,” said Nekisha. “Ne’Mya has been amazing through everything she’s endured during this journey. I see so much strength in my daughter; some adults are not nearly as strong as she is.”
How you can help
Advocate Children’s Hospital is part of Advocate Health, a not-for-profit organization that relies on the generosity of donors to support many programs and services, including the P.O.S.T. program. To help kids like Ne’Mya, please make a gift today.