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View the original post Here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9267135/Four-year-old-EYE-removed-cancer-diagnosis.html
A brave young girl had to have her right eye removed after doctors discovered she was suffering from a rare form of cancer that they initially shrugged off as a case of pink eye.
In December 2018, Kinsley Peacock, now seven, from Sarasota, Florida, was taken to the doctor by her software company owner mom, Kim, 39, and dad Adam, 36, after redness appeared in her right eye.
Their doctor diagnosed Kinsley, who was four years old at the time, with pink eye or conjunctivitis and she was sent home with a course of antibiotics.
But after a week Kinsley's eye had not got any better and her parents sought a second opinion from an eye specialist who concluded that Kinsley could have a detached retina or maybe even a tumor behind her eye.
Kim and Adam immediately took Kinsley to have an ultrasound and were relieved when the doctor told them he was 99 per cent sure that it was not a tumor, but instead a damaged retina.
However, while visiting another eye specialist to determine the damage to her retina, Kim and Adam's world came crashing down. Their four-year-old daughter was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, an extremely rare and aggressive eye cancer.
After two rounds of aggressive chemotherapy that made her incredibly sick, doctors assessed the state of Kinsley's eye. Determining that there was a distinct risk that the little girl's cancer could spread to her brain, the decision was taken to remove Kinsley's right eye to save her life.
In January 2019, Kinsley underwent a two-hour surgery in which her right eye was removed. After six weeks of healing at home, Kinsley was fitted with a custom made prosthetic eye, measured and designed specifically to match her left eye.
According to Kim, Kinsley has taken having one eye in her stride and fortunately hasn't suffered any bullying as a result. Whilst she does have children asking what happened to her eye, Kinsley has the confidence to tell them that her eye makes her unique and special.
Kinsley's younger brother Reid, now four, was only two years old when Kinsley's eye was removed, but thinks that it has given his older sister superpowers.
Fortunately, the cancer was all contained to Kinsley's right eye and she was declared cancer free in the spring of 2019.
Kinsley must visit ocular oncologist every four months and has a brain and orbital MRI every year to ensure she remains clear of cancer.
During her recovery, Kinsley developed a love of baking to stave off the boredom of being at home and baked cookies most days. Deciding to share her tasty creations with her neighbors and school friends, Kinsley obtained a reputation for her delicious treats.
Kinsley had the selfless idea of selling her cookies and donating the proceeds to help other children suffering from cancer.
Dad Adam spent countless nights building a cookie cart from which Kinsley could sell her creations and since then Kinsley has dedicated much of her free time to fundraising.
In total Kinsley has managed to raise an astonishing $195,000 selling cookies and hosting fundraising events.
In 2021 alone, Kinsley aims to raise $100,000 for pediatric cancer centers.
Kinsley has even had a customized prosthetic eye created for her which contains a retina that resembles a cookie to commemorate her incredible achievements.
'In December 2018 our world was flipped upside down when we were told our sweet daughter Kinsley had cancer,' said Kim.
'Just three days prior to her diagnosis, the only symptom Kinsley had was redness in her right eye.
'But after the redness didn't clear up, we took her to a second doctor who informed us that Kinsley had no vision in her right eye due to a detached retina that could be the result of trauma or a tumor.
'When we heard the word tumor, we sank to our knees. Less than a year prior we had attended the funeral of a friend whose seven-year-old daughter Avery had died from a brain tumor.
'Needing more answers, we immediately had an ultrasound done which confirmed the detached retina.
'As you can imagine, we felt a huge sense of relief when the doctor told us that he was 99 per cent sure that it wasn't a tumor.
'Kinsley then had a further evaluation under anesthesia to determine whether the retina could be re-attached.
'Instead, the surgeon told us that Kinsley had an advanced stage tumor in her right eye that needed to be treated immediately.
'It was every parent's worst nightmare. It was a moment of pure fear, darkness and uncertainty not knowing if our sweet girl was going to be taken from us.
'We were told that if it wasn't stopped quickly enough her form of cancer, known as retinoblastoma, would spread down Kinsley's optic nerve and into her brain.
'Having a complete lack of control over saving Kinsley's life was incredibly difficult for us.
'Although we were crumbling inside, knowing that we couldn't fix Kinsley's cancer, we decided to focus our energy ensuring that she felt loved and trusted.
'Our strength came from our strong faith and the incredible support we received from our amazing family, friends and community and Kinsely's amazing medical team.
'For Kinsley, cancer took her eye, but she never lost her positive spirit, her kind heart and her willingness to help others.
'The mission of Kinsley's cookie cart is to raise awareness for pediatric cancer and provide children who are fighting cancer with items that bring them comfort including iPads, blankets, hospital decorations and protective glasses for others with retinoblastoma.
'Having been one of the families struggling in the hospital, we know just how much of an impact these small acts of kindness can have.'
With the current options to fight childhood cancer being limited due to the aggressive nature of the treatment, Kim, Adam and Kinsley hope that their fundraising efforts will go towards research into new treatments that are more suitable for children.
'With only four cancer treatments approved for use on children in the USA, many children are not even given the chance to fight cancer,' said Kim.
'We aim to help fund research into new means of treatment that are less toxic for children.
'As parents who almost lost our child to this terrible disease, we have a tremendous amount of compassion that is driving our mission.
'Our hope is that Kinsley and her brother Reid will one day kick us out of the driver's seat and finish any work that needs to be done to cure all childhood cancers.
'We don't plan on slowing down anytime soon.'
View the Original Post and Watch the Video Here: Make-A-Wish surprises 4-year-old Bradenton cancer survivor with puppy
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A puppy often makes kids’ Christmas and birthday “wish” lists. It topped the list of 4-year-old Andrew Coulton, too. But the Bradenton boy wasn’t asking Santa to make his dream come true. He asked Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, and that wish was granted in the form of a wriggly three-month-old mini Goldendoodle.
The surprise delivery was met first with a look of confusion from Andrew, followed quickly by gleeful giggles and a lot of tail wags.
As Andrew chases the little puppy in circles, or maybe the other way around, it’s hard to believe that the little boy recently finished chemotherapy to battle the cancerous tumor in his brain. The chemotherapy followed surgery, and months of hospitalization.
“He couldn’t move, hold his head up, walk, talk,” says Melanie Coulton, Andrew’s mother. “He was constantly connected to tubes.”
Melanie says Andrew loved pet therapy, and that, coupled with her son’s interest in “Paw Patrol,” led to his wish for a dog of his own.
Andrew’s made not one, but two, new friends on this day.
In a first for Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, a child has made a wish come true. Kinsley Peacock, a six-year-old cancer survivor from North Venice, started her own nonprofit, Kinsley’s Cookie Cart, and set a goal to underwrite six wishes for critically ill kids like herself. Andrew’s wish was the first one granted by Kinsley.
“To see the joy and impact this has on the lives of Andrew and his family, it’s such a joy to see,” says Kinsley’s father, Adam Peacock.
Kinsley and Andrew are among the 12,000 wishes granted to critically ill children by Make-A-Wish Southern Florida since 1983.
Supermodel-turned-supermogul Kathy Ireland has kick started the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation's (NPCF) #Do43 campaign designed to continue shining a critical light on the 43 children diagnosed every day with cancer.
Ireland is enlisting a star-studded group called #Team43 and showing her support for the NPCF's cause by baking 43 cookies for first responders in her community -- while challenging friends such as Vanessa Williams, Brooke Shields, Marcus Lemonis, and Sharlee Jeter to join #Team43. The NPCF's #Do43 campaign encourages individuals to "Do 43" things in support of pediatric cancer research, and offers a host of creative opportunities to help the 43 children diagnosed each day. The momentum continues to build with NHL All-Star Sidney Crosby posting a video joining the cause, along with celebrities such as Teri Hatcher, Tobias Ellehammer, Chuck Amos, David Alpert and Troy Jensen, as well as pediatric cancer survivor Kinsley Peacock of Kinsley's Cookie Cart, all helping to create awareness and action.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of so many, including the lives of young children, who depend on the life-saving work of organizations such as the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation," says Ms. Ireland, who serves as NPCF's International Youth Chair. "While we cope with the changes to our lives brought on by the pandemic, 43 children continue to be diagnosed daily with childhood cancer. The current situation necessitates tremendous additional precautions involving the care of our young cancer patients, and the support of our community is needed now more than ever. I deeply thank my dear friends -- and their friends -- and everyone who is participating in this challenge. We urge everyone to participate. Every dollar donated enables the NPCF to fund additional research and trials, the costs of which begin at $15,000 for each individual pediatric cancer patient, and continue to increase over time."
The NPCF's virtual programs are easy for anyone to adopt over the next 43 days. Communities nationwide are encouraged to get creative -- supporters can donate $4.30, $43 dollars or any other amount, in addition to challenging 43 friends, family members or neighbors to get involved. Some are walking one mile a day for 43 days, doing 43 push-ups a day, or creating a new piece of daily artwork for 43 days to raise awareness and encourage others to participate. To donate, and for more information on these opportunities and others, please visit www.nationalPCF.org/donate.
The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research to eliminate childhood cancer through the Sunshine Project, the Foundation's collaborative research initiative. By partnering with doctors and researchers from the country's top institutions, the Sunshine Project is fast-tracking the development of new drugs and therapies that will ultimately lead to the cure of childhood cancers. The NPCF has received a perfect 100% score for financial health and transparency and is recognized as the top-rated cancer charity in the U.S. by Charity Navigator. For more information, visit www.NationalPCF.org or connect via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
kiWW® is listed as one of the most powerful brands in the world by License Global Magazine. Kathy Ireland is named one of the 19 most influential women in licensing by License Global magazine and according to Fairchild Publications, Kathy Ireland is one of the 50 most influential people in fashion. Furniture Today names Kathy one of the most influential leaders in the furniture industry. Kathy graces the cover of Forbes Magazine twice (2012, 2016). kiWW® is responsible for billions of dollars in retail sales. kiWW® is the recipient of multiple awards including several Good Housekeeping Seals. Kathy and kiWW® support many non-profits including: women and children's health, HIV/AIDS, Education, human freedom, life, wars against religious persecution and violence. Kathy is a Board Member of the NFLPA, WNBPA Board of Advocates, an Ambassador and donor for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and International Youth Chair for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Thank you Dick Vitale for all you do for pediatric cancer awareness and research funding! Thank you for sharing stories last night on ESPN of heroic little warriors and for including Kinsley!!! She can’t wait to give you a hug!
You are truly making a difference in this world. As parents who have been told “You’re child has cancer” and for the 45 parents who will hear it today and again tomorrow, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You’re passion and efforts are felt.
Please share this post to help Mr. Vitale and Kinsley with their mission of raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research.
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