meet the kids
Maya Chernichan
Birthdate: June 20
Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in August 1, 2018
Meet Maya! She was diagnosed with ALL in August 1, 2018 after months of fevers and 2 significant bacterial infections requiring hospitalizations. Our world was turned upside down when we got the phone call hours after a bone marrow biopsy saying that she had a form of childhood cancer. It took months for us to say the “C” word out loud. It’s every parents worst nightmare. We were introduced to The Team Brody Foundation immediately by another Team Brody family. They were a Godsend. When we met, it was like we’ve known them for years. They are doing an amazing job keeping Brody’s legacy alive by supporting other families going through this difficult journey. Our kids (Maya and her older sister Brielle, 5 years old) were showered with gifts and felt so special. The financial support they offer for parents who are unable to work while their child is in treatment is amazing and so generous. They have supported us in any way possible and are always there for us when we need them. Maya has remained resilient throughout it all. Her attitude and perseverance is admirable. She is anticipated to finish treatment this October (2020)
Bentley
This is Bentley he was 4 years-old turning 5 in a few days when we got the news he had acute myeloid leukaemia. My whole world was turned upside down and we went through the waves of cancer . He stayed in hospital for 6 months and was very sick, that's when I was introduced to the Team Brody Foundation by tiffany when she noticed I never had anything to eat or had any visitors. I fell in love with this amazing family and became very close to them. Benny is very into super Mario and YouTube sensation Ryan's world .Benny was always a very happy and energetic kid once he got deep into treatment he started to get very depressed and weak it was very hard to see him like that I did everything I could to make him smile.
EMMA-LEE
At only a few months old Emma-Lee would have random bruising on her body for no apparent reason, these bruises would disappear as quickly as they appeared.
After a mother’s intuition, and several visits to the Paediatrician, on March 24, 2017 Tiffany, Emma-Lee’s mother along with Beverly, Emma-Lee’s Grandmother insisted on a blood test for Emma-Lee, this blood test would reveal 7 month old Emma-Lee Had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (A.L.L.), Which is the most common childhood leukaemia (cancer), but extremely rare in children under the age of one year old. (only 1-2 cases in all of Canada are diagnosed per year).
During Emma-Lee's 10 month stay at the hospital she fought hard against her cancer, but she was always playing, laughing, and dancing. She loved the attention of the nurses, doctors and health care aides. Emma-Lee was a strong child, narrowly missing death a total of 4 times due to complications and reactions from her chemotherapy or blood product.
On August 24th while in PICU (paediatric intensive care) we were told that the chemotherapy was not working for her and her cancer had since multiplied. The doctors looked for a trial treatment to put her on. Out of 4 treatments she only qualified for 1. Once started on the trial treatment things were going great! She was playful, still loving all the attention she was getting from staff and making them dance when she played her hot-air balloon music and pointing at everyone that walked passed the room. Emma-Lee learned to crawl, stand and say a few words like "mum, mama, nama (Nana), and Emma". She would shake her head yes or no, put her hands on her head for "oh no", she would tell on herself when she was up to no good by saying "Emma, Emma, Emma"
Then we started noticing the joints in her fingers were swelling up and she was starting to be in a lot of pain. The doctors wanted to do a middle of treatment lumbar puncture to see how things are progressing, once the results came back we had to have the difficult family meeting of how we are going to proceed. Her cancer was winning and there was nothing we could to do stop it.
As a family we decided to end treatment and make the most of her short life, we made memories, we cuddled, we set up a Christmas photo shoot, got Christmas cards mailed to Emma-Lee and we read them to her every day, and then we played and cuddled more.
Emma-Lee passed away in her mother, father and grandma's arms on December 3rd at 8pm.
Emma-Lee is missed dearly everyday and honoured on her Facebook page buy her mother and grandmother that post pictures and memories everyday.
