As an eighth grader, Haley’s days were filled with dance practices, competitions and youth theater. But after an unusual and alarming fever, Haley’s family requested bloodwork and were advised they needed the care of a children’s hospital. She was transported to UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital where she was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL).
Undergoing a regimen of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, life changed very quickly for Haley and her family. Her mom, Lena, shared that UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital “has been the best part of this horrible situation.”
Every staff member, from the front desk to the care team, has become an extended part of Haley’s family. During some of the hardest days, Haley leaned on Reema Kashif, M.D., a pediatric hematologist-oncologist, saying she “made me feel like I can fight and gave me the strength that I didn’t know I could have.”
The journey has been long and continues to present challenges. But today, Haley is in 10th grade. She made the cheerleading team at school and is part of a local dance team. She celebrated her 15th birthday and got her driver’s permit. These milestones once felt very far away for Haley and her family, but funding from Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals partners, programs and donors ensured UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital could deliver hope and healing when it was needed most.