Meet Karlee

Karlee was diagnosed with Stage IV Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma when she was just two years old.

“My mom took me to the emergency room during an ice storm because I was complaining of pain in my abdomen, and I hadn’t been acting like myself in days,” Karlee shared with us. “My stomach was distended and rock hard. I was told I looked like a pregnant two-year-old.”

Nurses did testing and found a tumor attached to the toddler’s belly button. She had emergency surgery the next day to remove the tumor.

She’d go on to receive 35 rounds of seven different types of chemotherapy and 16 rounds of radiation. Treatment lasted 14 months, and she had a feeding tube for most of that time because she had no appetite.

Today, Karlee is cancer-free and grateful, but she’s battling severe long-term side effects. She has full ovarian failure and heart failure, which require daily medications. She also has many dental problems, and she’s at high risk of developing diabetes.

Karlee isn’t alone: 95% of childhood cancer survivors suffer from long-term late effects as a result of the harsh treatments.