Parenting
Dear Daughter: Our Fight for Your Life and What We Hope You Take Away from It
by Emily
Updated: May 9, 2023
Originally Published: May 9, 2023
“Dear sweet, courageous daughter… Cancer hit us like a freight train.”
As Mother’s Day approaches, it serves as a reminder that each mother has her unique journey to celebrate. For some, it’s about breakfast in bed, lovingly prepared by little hands, or a bouquet of wildflowers picked from the neighborhood. However, for mothers like Emily and her ten-year-old daughter, Mia, this day carries a deeper significance amid their battle against childhood cancer.
Mia was passionate about gymnastics, especially the uneven bars, until pain in her leg led to an MRI that revealed a mass on her femur. This prompted Emily and her family to seek help from the renowned St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There, doctors diagnosed Mia with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Her treatment journey involved rigorous chemotherapy and a limb-sparing surgery, which resulted in her femur being replaced with a titanium rod that adjusts as she grows. Today, ten-year-old Mia continues to visit St. Jude for checkups and has even discovered her artistic talents.
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, Emily penned a heartfelt letter to her daughter, expressing her love and dreams for Mia’s future.