Patient Ambassador Hadley
Remarkable progress
Today, 56 years later, more than 90 % of children diagnosed with ALL survive.
Children’ s Colorado has made remarkable progress in treating and curing blood disorders and cancers— even those once considered untreatable, like Hadley’ s.
After Hadley stopped breathing and exhibited seizure-like symptoms when she was 3 months old, doctors discovered that she had an extremely rare brain tumor, a form of infant high-grade glioma with only one other known diagnosis. Doctors believed that Hadley was probably born with the disease.
There were extremely limited options for therapy because of the tumor’ s location in her brain, and doctors did not expect her to survive. But after six months at Children’ s Colorado, including chemotherapy and intense radiation that was intended only to be palliative and not potentially cure her cancer, the tumor began to disappear.
Five years later, Hadley— now a sweet, smart and spunky 6-year-old— rang the Warrior Bell at Children’ s Colorado to celebrate the end of her cancer journey, something that had been a part of her whole life. The powerful radiation she received impacted several physical abilities controlled by the brain stem, including her ability to breathe independently.. Today, she uses a bright pink mobilized chair to move and has a tracheostomy tube but is learning to walk and breathe on her own again.
Advances powered by your generous giving
An infant surviving this kind of cancer is unprecedented, but it didn’ t happen by chance. Children’ s Colorado experts developed the right treatment plan for Hadley using advances that are powered by your generous giving, including expanded access to genetic testing that identified a unique mutation in her brain tumor. As a result, her treatment and incredible recovery are helping physician-scientists learn more about the way this extremely rare cancer forms and how radiation interacts with the tumor in a baby. This could lead to better treatment options and outcomes for pediatric patients in the future.
Watch a video about Mark and Hadley ' s stories by scanning this QR code.
At the Children’ s Colorado Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, ranked No. 4 in the country by U. S. News & World Report, donors have propelled numerous transformative innovations that have improved and saved the lives of children. Ongoing support from the community has dramatically shaped the way cancer is diagnosed and treated, revolutionizing the field and offering hope for once incurable cancers and blood disorders.
10 CHANGEMAKERS