Reese was just ten years old when her world changed. On February 15, 2019, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, beginning a two-and-a-half-year journey marked by extraordinary medical challenges.
The first 28 days of treatment brought intense chemotherapy and equally intense side effects. Early in her journey, Reese experienced bleeding in her brain, and the wall of her gallbladder thickened, causing severe pain and complications. Soon after, she suffered a massive seizure that led to a code blue. In the aftermath, she developed Mucormycosis, a rare and aggressive fungal infection. Her care team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital acted immediately, calling for emergency surgery the next morning. Surgeons removed a third of her lung to save her life.
Reese spent 53 days in the hospital during that initial phase of treatment. Throughout her journey, she endured numerous blood clots treated with twice-daily blood thinners, received 30 blood transfusions, and underwent many spinal taps. Despite every setback, she continued to fight with a resilience that inspired everyone around her.
After completing her first phase of chemotherapy, Reese entered remission and transitioned into a year and a half of less-intense treatment. Slowly, she began to regain her strength. In June 2021, surrounded by her care team and loved ones, Reese rang the bell, marking the end of active treatment and the beginning of a new chapter.
Today, Reese is thriving. She is a fourth-year varsity cheerleader, works out nearly four times a week, and serves as a lifeguard at her community pool. This fall, she will attend her first survivorship clinic appointment, another milestone in her healing journey. Now a high school senior, Reese is preparing for college and plans to join the workforce as a phlebotomist to begin her path toward becoming a nurse, and perhaps one day, an oncologist.
