Cases of children with cancer are perhaps among the most heartbreaking of all the blunt harshness’ in this world.
Three years ago, McKinley, Lauren, Ava, and Chloe were all receiving cancer treatment in the same Florida hospital. It was a difficult time, with the four girls relying on each other for support. However, the quarter – all aged between four and five – were recently able to reunite for a photo session as survivors.
The girls return to the John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida every year. This event marks the first time they will all be in remission, however.
“They were all on active treatment the first time we did this,” Ava’s mom Alyssa Luciana told FOX13 in St. Petersburg.
”It’s amazing to see how far they’ve come from being bald little babies.”
McKinley, Lauren, and Ava all suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, while Chloe was fighting a rare form of lung cancer.
McKinley said they bonded “because our blood was sick.”
Lauren’s mother, Shawna Glynn, said that she feels the girls formed a connection while in hospital because of how the treatment affected their appearances.
“She’s 3 years old and doesn’t have any hair, but all of her friends in the hospital look the same way so it kind of gave her some normalcy,” she said.
In the meantime, the four moms also relied on each other during the rigorous process.
“Just having other moms to relate to has been phenomenal,” said Karen Moore, McKinley’s mom.
Just to have other people going through it at the same time as us.
Of the four, Lauren was the last to complete treatment.”
“We’re done,” Glynn said. “She just rang the bell to signify that she has completed her treatment … She’s going into kindergarten on Monday.”
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