Here’s Who’s Being Helped by the 2010 Lily’s Run

Jared’s Story:

Jared Kemmerer is soft spoken, caring and loving 15 year old teenager. He lives in Cumming with his Dad, step-mom and extended family. Some of Jared’s favorite things to do are riding his four-wheeler, playing basketball, air soft and video games. This past June, Jared began to experience severe chest pain and shortness of breath and after x-rays at North Fulton Hospital was Life Flighted to Egleston Children’s Hospital. The doctors at Egleston informed Jared’s family that they discovered a large mass in Jared’s chest cavity almost the size of a football. Jared would need surgery to remove the tumor that was pressing on his airway and affecting almost every organ in his chest. Although the doctors suspected the tumor was benign, after 4 1/2 hours of surgery, Jared’s mass was diagnosed as a malignant germ cell tumor.

Since July, Jared has undergone chemotherapy to eliminate any remaining cancer cells in his body and he is now on his fourth round of chemotherapy. Jared has really shown a remarkable spirit. We are hopeful Jared will complete his treatments in October but he will still require frequent x-rays, CT scans and blood tests to ensure that the cancer has been eliminated. Though all the surgeries and chemotherapy treatments have been very difficult for Jared; his doctors, nurses, family and friends have been amazed at how Jared has handled this challenge in his life.

We are all praying that after the treatments are completed the cancer will be gone forever. Should you have the opportunity to meet Jared, you will see just how caring and loving he is and what strength of character this young man really has. Jared’s wish is to take a Caribbean Cruise with his family after missing their summer vacation due to his sudden diagnosis and treatments this past summer.

Ella’s Story:

Ella is an energetic 21/2 year old living in Alpharetta, Georgia along with her parents, Sheli and Robert and her older brother Cole, who is 5 years old. Ella was recently diagnosed with Adrenal Carcinoma Stage 3 in June 2010. She has undergone surgery to remove the tumor and her left adrenal gland. She is now undergoing Chemotherapy at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Egelston. Her journey includes chemotherapy for 6 months. She stays in the hospital for treatment every 3rd week and has frequent checkups each week to check her white blood counts. Each treatment she has returned back to the hospital due to a fever except for this last round! We are praying she will stay fever free and out of Hospital Camp (as she call it) until the next chemotherapy treatment which begins on September 20th. Ella has such a sweet and loving personality. She has continued to amaze us with her Strong and Courageous spirit!! Ella’s wish is to visit Disneyworld with her family.

Lily’s Story:

Lily Anderson, now 9 years old is an energetic, fun loving child who never meets a stranger. She lives in Cumming with her Mom and Dad and her little sister Audrey, and enjoys cheerleading and music. Last September Lily complained of abdominal pain and after several scans and blood tests, she was diagnosed with stage 4 Neuroblastoma. This rare and very aggressive cancer was found in the form of a large tumor behind her liver, and it had also spread to a few areas on her bones and to her bone marrow. Within a few hours, Lily and her family were faced with an incredible battle.

Over the past 11 months Lily has undergone many treatments including 6 very intense rounds of chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and 2 surgeries, several bone marrow tests, CT scans, MRI tests, and bone scans. In February of this year Lily and her family traveled to St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee for 6 weeks while she had a stem cell transplant. This was definitely the most difficult part of their journey. She was extremely sick and far away from home. Upon returning to Atlanta, Lily went through 13 cycles of radiation, and is currently being treated at Egelston Children’s hospital here in Atlanta for Anti-body therapy. This treatment includes several hospital stays in which they administer different medicines to help to fight of any microscopic neuroblastoma cells.

All of these treatments were very difficult on Lily, but her doctors, nurses, and surgeons are astounded by her ability to overcome each treatment and bounce back to her bubbly self. She is very courageous and has inspired thousands to keep fighting no matter what the situation. Although Lily will finish her treatments in early October, she will still require frequent bone scans, and CT scans to detect any relapse. Lily and her family have a very strong faith and continue to pray that her cancer will be gone forever. If you get the chance to meet Lily you will be amazed by the positive energy that radiates from her smile, and her ability to touch so many lives. Since Lily is so grateful for many wishes fulfilled from the community for her over the past year, Lily’s wish is to assist in the granting of the additional families wishes that Lily’s Run 2010 is benefitting.

Elizabeth’s Story:

On November 19, 2009, The Winklejohn’s lives were changed forever. After a week of not feeling well, and thinking maybe a viral or bacterial infection, Elizabeth was admitted to Scottish Rite at Children’s Healthcare. The preliminary diagnosis, based on a series of CT scans, was Neuroblastoma. And so, they started on the journey to figure out the best way to treat it. Elizabeth has a tumor off her right kidney and the lymph nodes in the immediate area have metastasis as well. She has metastasis around her left shoulder blade area also. So now, they are treating is really aggressively and the goal is to get rid of it, and keep it gone. Elizabeth is not an only child. She’s got two sisters: Rebecca is 3, and Katherine is 1. So Elizabeth has a big job trying to keep them entertained as well. But, she loves doing it. Elizabeth’s wish is to see the ocean and spend quality time in a beach house with her entire family.

Trey’s Story

Trey was originally diagnosed with Melanoma (Stage 3) as a freshman in high school, April 2007. He went through a couple surgeries with a year of treatment and relapsed to Stage 4 Melanoma, summer of 2010, right before he was starting his Senior year playing football at West Forsyth HS.

Since then, Trey received treatment in Germany for 5 months, but after brain metastasis occurred in February 2010, his parents started to seek medical care at MD Anderson in Houston, TX. beginning with Brain surgery, then Gamma Knife Radiation 3 times now and over the last 8 months, has been through a series of various other rigorous treatments trying to get in front of his cancer spreading any further. After 15 months, he has finally seen some progress with his tumors starting to shrink from the most recent trial received at MD Anderson.
Trey is an incredible 18 year old now and to many, a great inspiration with the courage, strength and positive attitude he has shown through living life as normal as he can through this tough journey he is on. His story has been on Nancy Grace, AJC articles several times and other articles while he played High School football every chance he got between treatment during his senior year in high school as well as testimonies he’s given, etc….if you couldn’t see or didn’t know what he’s going through, you would never know….he lives life to the fullest.

Trey is currently a student at University of GA., pledging a fraternity and enjoying life as a college student while continuing his medical care and frequent trips back to MD Anderson in Houston, TX..

Adrian’s Story:

Adrian’s illness is Stage Iva Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She was diagnosed on August 24, 2010. She has had one round of chemotherapy and it has been very hard on her. She is optimistic and in good spirits most of the time. She still attends school as a sophomore at North Forsyth High School as much as possible. Adrian has four more rounds of chemotherapy and three weeks of radiation after that. Adrian is so excited about her wish and enjoyed contemplating options. Her wish is to vacation in Hawaii with her family.

Jessi’s Story

June 26,2010. What a difference a day makes. This day marked the change of the Patrick family forever. Jessi, 13, just returned home from a vacation to Panama City Beach with her best friend. The week was full of fun activities like parasailing, shopping, swimming, pedicures. The night of June 25 when she arrived home she was very tired and had an unexplained fever which returned the following day. After a trip to the the ER and confirming very low blood counts Jessi was transported by ambulance to Egleston Hospital in Atlanta where it was confirmed that Jessi had AML (Acute Myloid Leukemia). Jessi immediately started chemotherapy and finished the first round the end of July. Treatment for AML requires lengthy stays in the hospital. She is now in round 2 and awaiting a donor match for a bone marrow transplant.

With enormous faith in God we continue to pray for complete cure when Jessi is thru with all her treatments.

Jessi is a very caring child, always wanting to help others. When she becomes cancer free she wants to visit other children with cancer and encourage them because she will be able to tell them “I know how you feel, I’ve been there.”