Team Lola is once again joining up with Beat Childhood Cancer to run 200ish miles of Ragnar craziness. The Ragnar relay races put 12 runners in 2 vans (6 in each), running nearly 200 miles over 2 days. Each runner runs 3 legs (anywhere from 3 to 9 miles per leg) over that time. It winds up an average of ~16 miles per runner total over the experience.
About Lola Mae
Lola Mae was a joyful spirit since the moment we first held her in our arms. She smiled big, hugged softly, and twirled beautifully. She was carefree and imaginative, always playing and happy. She was gentle, but feisty! At two years old she was already defending her big sister from unfriendly children on the playground. She was a kind big sister as well, always welcoming her little brother into her arms. We always knew she was brave, but we would have never known before cancer that her courage was without limits.
When Lola Mae was 4 years old she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. We knew our girl was brave, but we would have never known before cancer that her courage was without limits. Just trying to describe her bravery now I am completely overwhelmed. She fought hard through so much, and she did so saying, “I can do it!”
Neuroblastoma is a terrible and aggressive disease. About half of the children diagnosed with high risk NB do not make it into remission. About half of the children that do, later relapse. There is no cure for relapsed NB. The standard treatment plan is 18 months of aggressive: everything. Early in Lola’s journey we were at clinic getting her weekly blood draws when a nurse new to us asked what type of cancer she had. When I answered he gave me a sympathetic look and said, “Man, those kids have to go through it all.”
The following is a summarized list of what our Lola went through: surgery to place line for medicine and blood draws, 4 rounds of chemotherapy where 2 types of chemo given for 3-5 days, surgery to remove the tumor, more chemo, and MIBG therapy (a type of radiation given internally). Next she was supposed to have tandem stem cell transplants, external radiation, and 6 months of immunotherapy. Lola relapsed just before her scheduled transplant. She went through 3 rounds of a chemo and antibody combination, was again scheduled for her transplant, but relapsed again. She then went through another round of chemo, trying to get her well enough for a trial. But by then her cancer had completely stopped responding to chemotherapy. She had radiation to her legs to stop the pain from the tumors in her bone marrow which were making her bones bow. She had radiation to her skull to stop the tumor near her eyes from further taking her eyesight. She had radiation to her back and pelvis when the tumor growing from her marrow was so large it pushed her femur out of the socket. At home we gave her cannabis oil, juiced cancer-fighting vegetables, used essential oils and natural supplements. All of this was done with the hope of curing our child. But her cure came after 12 months of fighting when she checked out of the hospital for the last time and went to heaven.
Why We Fight
We miss our precious Lola every moment. No child should have to endure such things. No family should endure the loss of their child. Please support Beat Childhood Cancer. They are working hard to cure neuroblastoma and other cancers through research and trials. Many people on the board of BeatCC are parents of NB kids and they are fighting back against cancer.
Fight back with us!
Together, we will beat childhood cancer.