#RallyKid Emily Kate
Rally Kid Emily Kate's Story
Emily Kate “EK” was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic neuroblastoma on December 13, 2021, at just 16 months old. What began as a swollen lymph node led to multiple doctor visits and eventually a biopsy. During the procedure, the surgeon stopped mid-way after discovering a mass wrapped around her carotid artery. A few lymph nodes were sent for testing, and three days later, we heard the devastating words: “Emily has cancer.” Our world turned upside down. At CHOA, we spent weeks undergoing scans to finalize her diagnosis. The cancer had spread to lymph nodes and bone marrow. Genetic testing showed no MYCN amplification, but a 1P gene deletion, increasing the risk of relapse and treatment challenges. Chemo began the week of New Year’s. After 4 cycles, scans showed a 23% tumor shrinkage and clear bone marrow. Hoping for a better response, we added a stronger chemo for 4 more cycles. Though each round brought more nausea, risk, and stress, Emily kept playing and smiling. After 8 cycles, her MRI showed just 3% more shrinkage. We changed the chemo and started cycle 9. Two weeks later, we attended the Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation conference in Chicago and met top experts. This led us to Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC for a second opinion and a PET scan. On September 12, 2022, Emily underwent a 6-hour surgery that removed her entire tumor without complications. She was running the hospital halls the next day! After 13 days in NYC, we came home tumor-free. Some cancer cells remained in her lymph nodes, so she stayed on a strict scan schedule—until November 14, 2024, when Emily Kate was officially declared CANCER FREE.
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Every day, kids are diagnosed with cancers that still have no cure — and treatments that haven’t changed in decades. Rally steps in where traditional funding often doesn’t, providing philanthropic seed funding for bold, early-stage research with the greatest potential to save lives.
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