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Kayla blossoms after battling leukemia

8-year-old Kayla is cancer-free thanks to the expert care she received from the specialists at Children’s Memorial Hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Each year, more than 2,700 children and adolescents are treated for cancer and blood disorders at Children’s Memorial Hospital — the region’s top provider of these services. In fact, the hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders is ranked among the Top 10 pediatric facilities in the specialty by U.S.News & World Report, and treats patients from around the world. Fortunately for the parents of Kayla Spight, a south suburban Chicago girl who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 2½, the specialized care their daughter so urgently needed was virtually in their own backyard.

Kayla’s parents, Michelle and Kevin, became concerned when their normally active little girl became sluggish and didn’t want to play. They brought her to their pediatrician, who suspected she had a virus. After Kayla developed stomach pains that persisted for several days, they took her to the emergency department of a local hospital, where blood work confirmed that she had something much more serious than a simple virus: she had acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

“When they first told me Kayla had leukemia, it threw me for a loop,” says Michelle. “I remember saying, ‘Leukemia? That’s cancer, right?’ I called Kevin to immediately meet me at the hospital, and he couldn’t believe it either. Neither of us had had any firsthand experience with cancer in our families.”

Leukemia or cancer of the blood is the most common form of childhood cancer, and ALL is the most common of the three types of pediatric leukemia, accounting for more than 75 percent of all cases of the disease. In patients with ALL, the bone marrow makes too many lymphocyte cells, a type of white blood cell that normally fights infection. Because of this overproduction, the lymphocytes do not mature properly and are unable to properly fight infection in the body.

Kayla was immediately transported to Children’s Memorial after her diagnosis. The multidisciplinary hematology/oncology/stem cell transplant team at the hospital is dedicated to diagnosing and curing childhood cancer and blood disorders, including hemophilia, sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Under the direction of Morris Kletzel, MD, the Meryl Suzanne Weiss Endowed Professor of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant, the Center offers a unique blend of clinical expertise and comprehensive services. Children’s Memorial is also a Children’s Oncology Group Phase I research center, where 85 percent of children treated for cancer participate in clinical trials of the latest treatments.

Shortly after she arrived at Children’s Memorial, Kayla began chemotherapy treatments. Her oncologists, Jennifer Schneiderman, MD, and Elaine Morgan, MD, along with pediatric oncology nurse practitioner Maureen Haugen, APN, patiently explained to Michelle and Kevin about Kayla’s illness and what her treatment plan would be.

“Kayla’s team embraced us from the first visit,” says Michelle. “They were wonderful, and took the time to answer all our questions. They understood what we were going through and were determined to make things as easy as possible for Kayla and for us.

“Although my aunt is a surgical nurse at Children’s Memorial, we really didn’t know much about the hospital before Kayla got sick. Now I tell people all the time about how the hospital helped us get through such a difficult time. From the doctors and nurses on down, everyone is so nice. In fact, in the almost 6 years we’ve been coming to Children’s Memorial, we have yet to encounter anyone who isn’t nice.”

Kayla was in the hospital for just over a week, and initially returned three times a week as an outpatient for chemotherapy. Michelle remembers that her daughter’s first month of treatment was rough. Kayla lost her hair, was frequently tired and lost weight because she had no appetite. Eventually, her body adjusted to her treatments.

“We knew she had turned the corner when one day she told us she wanted to go to her favorite restaurant Red Lobster,” says Michelle. “We were ecstatic that she was hungry, because that meant she was feeling better.”

About a month after she was diagnosed, Kayla was declared in remission, though her chemotherapy treatments continued for two and a half years, becoming less frequent as time went on. As part of her therapy, she also underwent radiation treatments at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

Forty years ago, only 20 percent of children with ALL survived. Today, 90 percent of children with the disease are surviving, thanks to new discoveries developed at pediatric research institutions like Children’s Memorial Research Center. Physician-scientists at Children’s Memorial continue to work toward finding more effective therapies for children with blood diseases. Children’s Memorial is also a member of the research consortium Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia & Lymphoma (TACL), which has led to the availability of an increased number of leukemia clinical trials available for children treated at the hospital.

Researchers at Children’s Memorial will have increased opportunities to collaborate with their adult colleagues at the Lurie Cancer Center when Children’s Memorial’s new facility, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, opens in 2012 on the campus of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in downtown Chicago. The new hospital will also include numerous enhancements for children treated for cancer, including all-private rooms with improved amenities for families and an expanded inpatient unit, day hospital and ambulatory stem cell unit. A flexible design and greater space will accommodate the latest equipment and technology for treating children with cancer, as well as special isolation features to ensure the safety of immuno-compromised patients. The location will also benefit patients transitioning from pediatric care at Lurie Children’s Hospital to adult care at the nearby Lurie Cancer Center.

Now 8, Kayla has been off chemo for three years. While she’s currently receiving treatment for some minor thyroid issues and will need close monitoring through adulthood to detect any complications resulting from her childhood treatments, Kayla continues to blossom. Her mom describes her as an outgoing “social butterfly,” a straight-A student who takes tap and ballet and loves the music of teen idol Justin Bieber.

“If you met her, you’d never know what she went through,” says Michelle. “She’s doing so well, and every day we thank God for that.”

Consider making a planned gift to Children’s Memorial. By doing so you can improve the lives of children like Kayla, help achieve your financial goals and leave a lasting legacy of generosity.