Proud auntie Paola Mayfield says her niece, who has Down syndrome, is in remission from the leukemia that she battled for two years.
“Last year I went to Colombia when I was pregnant, I needed to see my sister and my niece,” Mayfield wrote alongside a photo of niece standing on a hospital bed with her arm attached to some medical devices. “My niece has Down Syndrome and had been battling leukemia for about 2 years. But TODAY we received the greatest news! She is finally cancer free!”
Read MorePaola said that the journey has been extremely difficult. “With tears in my eyes I feel full of joy and happiness because I know how hard it has been the past few years for my sister.”
And she wanted others who are struggling and fighting for their lives to know that there is always hope: “For those who battle everyday to have another day of life, stay strong and don't lose faith. Thank you [hearts].”
Information About Childhood Leukemia
Leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer. The most frequent type of childhood leukemia is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Three out every four cases of childhood leukemia are diagnosed as acute, meaning that the leukemia can progress quickly, and if not treated, would probably be fatal within a few months.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a cancer that occurs when the bone marrow makes too much of a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, according to the National Cancer Institute. Signs of childhood ALL include fever and bruising. The disease can be detected using tests that examine the blood and bone marrow. Over time, there has been a lot of improvement in treatments for childhood leukemia.
There are several different approaches to treating the disease, and the treatment plan will depend on the type of ALL. Chemotherapy, radiation, chemotherapy with a stem cell transplant, and targeted therapy are all considered standard treatment, according to the American Cancer Society.
The next most common type of childhood leukemia is called acute myeloid leukemia, which occurs when the bone marrow makes a large number of abnormal blood cells called “myeloblasts.” As these cells build up, they prevent the growth of healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
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