[ad_1]
Three years ago, McKinley, Chloe, Ava and Lauren were all in treatment for cancer in a Florida hospital. The quartet relied on each other to go through the arduous process, and on Monday they came together for a photo shoot as cancer survivors.
The girls, all ages 4 to 5, take a picture each year in the lobby of the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, but this is the first time that they are in remission .
"They all had active treatment the first time," said Ava's mother, Alyssa Luciano, at FOX13 in St. Petersburg. "It's amazing how much they became little bald babies."
McKinley, Ava and Lauren all had acute lymphoblastic leukemia and Chloe had a rare form of lung cancer. McKinley said that they were all related "because our blood was sick."
Girls in 2016, in active treatment
Courtesy of Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital
Girls in 2016, in active treatment
Courtesy of Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital
Lauren's mother, Shawna Glynn, added that the girls formed a fellowship when they were at Johns Hopkins because of their bald heads.
"She is 3 years old and has no hair, but all her friends in the hospital look the same, so it gave her some normalcy," Glynn said.
ASSOCIATED VIDEO: Mom shares a powerful photo of nurse shaving her hair after cancer diagnosis: "We kissed her"
"It was always a breath of fresh air to see a familiar face and know that she was not alone in this situation," said Karen Moore, McKinley's mother.
Moms said they also count on each other for successful treatment.
"Just having other mothers to talk to was phenomenal," Moore said. "Just so that other people review at the same time as us."
Chloé, McKinley, Lauren and Ava in 2018
Courtesy of Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital
Girls in 2018, now cancer survivors
Courtesy of Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital
Lauren was the last to finish the treatment, with her last on September 10th.
"We're done," said Glynn. "She just rang the bell to signify that she finished her treatment … She goes to kindergarten on Monday."
"They just arrived, all," she said.
Source link
