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A Little Faith Can Inspire You
Over the last six years, Faith has endured seven surgeries, six body casts, four braces, two walkers, and
one crutch. But even those obstacles can’t stop this courageous 8-year-old girl from inspiring everyone
around her. “When people hear Faith’s story, they realize their own problems aren’t that bad,” said her father Bryan. “Her experiences and her resilience demonstrate the remarkable ways she has truly lived up to her name.”
Faith’s journey began at the tender age of 2. “She had been complaining of pain in her right leg,” said Bryan. “We took her to Arkansas Children’s Hospital where they performed a bone biopsy on New Year’s Day. Six days later, she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.”
The cancer was Ewing’s Sarcoma, a malignant round-cell tumor that is typically found in the bone or soft
tissue. Faith’s cancer had settled in her femur, the longest and largest bone of the body. Cancers of this
type most frequently occur in teenage boys, so Faith’s case was quite unusual. She began chemotherapy.
And it was a struggle.
Faith’s family lived more than 45 miles away from Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Because of the extensive
care Faith needed, her mother was forced to quit her job. Her parents didn’t know where to turn. Fortunately, a social worker at Arkansas Children’s Hospital told the family about The National Children’s Cancer Society. The money the N.C.C.S. provided paid for unexpected costs such as travel expenses, phone calls to their loved ones, and meals during Faith’s treatments.
Her mother, Heather, also turned to the N.C.C.S. website for valuable insights into Faith’s care. “I found helpful information on the after-effects of chemotherapy,” said Heather. “As well as learning about local N.C.C.S. fundraisers.” |
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In April 2005, Faith had 90% of her right femur removed and replaced with a prosthetic bone. Another surgery was required in September 2006 to repair screws that had broken in her prosthetic device. When the prosthetic femur became dislocated in March 2007, Faith’s parents decided to explore their options. After seeking the opinions of several doctors across the United States, they found Dr. Douglas McDonald, a musculoskeletal oncology specialist, in St. Louis, Missouri.
McDonald performed a Pemberton Osteotomy. The procedure created a new socket in Faith’s pelvis to replace the one that was worn from the dislocation of the prosthetic. Her family thought that would be the final surgery. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.
The prosthetic femur became dislocated for a second time in October 2007. Another surgery was required to fix it and her family realized they were running out of options. But one remained. In March 2009, the family decided to have Faith’s femur amputated.
McDonald performed a “rotationplasty.” After removing her thigh, the lower portion of Faith’s leg was rotated and reattached. Placing her foot backward allows her ankle to bend in the same fashion as a knee. Specialists then fit Faith with a prosthetic lower leg, ankle and foot that will be re-sized to fit her growing body.
“Faith can now do almost anything a perfectly healthy child can do,” said Bryan. Upon further discussion it becomes clear that Faith also has the power to do much more. Faith’s mother receives her diploma in nursing in May 2010 and is beginning a new career as a registered nurse. She plans to work in either pediatrics or pediatric oncology. Did Faith’s journey inspire her mother’s career choice? “Absolutely,” said Heather. |
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