Rosie is brave, determined, and loving!
Shakespeare couldn't have said it any better: "Though she be but little, she is fierce." Rosie Mae, the little red-headed warrior, has been through more in her almost 10 years of life than the lifetimes of 10 grown men.
Rosie came into the world fighting, and that same fire was there from day one, this tiny, fiery, blue-eyed redhead was a fighter from the start. Just before her first birthday, Rosie's parents knew something was wrong. Their instincts led them to an emergency room, where a doctor sat them down and told them the words no parent should ever hear. Rosie had leukemia. She was life-flighted to Children's Hospital in Omaha, where she began an intense fight for her life.
From the very beginning, Rosie's spirit shone through. Even in her sickest moments, she won the hearts of every nurse and doctor with her sweet personality, always offering her unicorn to those around her and blowing kisses and giving hugs to everyone who walked into her room. After a long and grueling process, Rosie's family got the news they'd been praying for, she was in remission. But the road ahead was far from over, and Rosie continued years of treatment to keep the cancer at bay.
Just when her family thought they could breathe, Rosie was struck by a second, devastating diagnosis, a rare, polio-like disease that left her paralyzed and fighting for her life all over again. She spent months in intensive care, followed by nearly a year of intense rehabilitation, having to relearn how to do the most basic things, breathing, moving, eating, sitting up, even smiling. Everyday she pushed her little body to the max, and everyday she fights.
Rosie has overcome more than most people face in a lifetime, and she still carries lasting effects from everything her body has endured. But she has never let that slow her down. Today, Rosie loves playing teeball, volleyball, and basketball, kicking soccer balls, riding her bike, playing with her pup, and getting dirty outside, and she is absolutely crazy about Paw Patrol. Her greatest love, though, is her family.
Rosie has been a reminder to her family not to let the statistics guide them. When she's asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she says she wants to be "a Rosie girl." And what does it mean to be a Rosie girl? Fighting every obstacle, big or small. Rosie didn't get a choice, that choice was made for her by cancer and AFM, but every single day, all she does is fight. We can all rally around her and do the same: don't sweat the small stuff, pray hard, be grateful for what we have, and fight through any challenge. We offer up our weaknesses for our sweet Rosie!