“Our strong little warrior Sophia was diagnosed with AML Leukemia. Despite her illness, she finds joy in simple pleasures like eating spaghetti and playing hide and seek in the park with her sisters. Or swimming . Her creative side shines through in coloring and water painting. Sophia dreams for a return to her normal life, free from the constraints of her illness. She is afraid of needles, but she holds onto the hope of recovery and the day she can finally return home.

“My daughter Sophia was first diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in May 2023. We were immediately advised to admit her as this was one of the most aggressive types of cancers, and she required immediate chemotherapy. Sophia underwent numerous rounds of chemotherapy, and when she finally achieved remission, she was transferred to MUSC in Charleston. This separation caused a significant strain on our family. My husband had to stay home with our three other daughters: Hailey, who is 10, Marely, who is 6, and Cynthia, who is 2. He had to remain at home to continue working and support our family. They would have to drive a grueling 3 hours each way every weekend to visit Sophia and me in Charleston.

“After several months, Sophia underwent a bone marrow transplant on September 28, 2023. We were informed that we would need to stay for 100 days post-transplant to closely monitor Sophia and ensure the successful engraftment of the transplanted cells. However, just two days before we were scheduled to return home and ring the bell, we received devastating news: Sophia had relapsed.

“She underwent multiple rounds of salvage chemotherapy and radiation therapy. On May 3, 2024, Sophia underwent a second bone marrow transplant. After day 100 post-transplant, we were finally able to return home with our family.

“Sophia, our little princess, was making progress at home, and our family was slowly regaining a sense of normalcy, eagerly anticipating a refreshing holiday season. However, on November 4, 2024, our lives took a devastating turn. The leukemia had returned, and this time, our Oncology team delivered heartbreaking news. They had exhausted all their options and offered no cures for Sophia. They suggested we cherish the remaining days at home or consider low-dose chemotherapy to prolong her life. But we refused to give up on our precious daughter. We couldn’t sit back and do nothing. Our little princess had endured so much already, and she had shown incredible bravery and strength. She had fought valiantly, and we were determined not to give up on her.

“Determined to find a miracle, we embarked on a journey to seek alternative oncologists and hospitals. We discovered a clinical trial at Duke Children’s Hospital in North Carolina that offered a glimmer of hope. Without hesitation, we made the difficult decision to travel there and bring Sophia in for further treatment. We were fully aware of her prognosis and the immense challenges she faced, but we remained hopeful and prayed for a miracle.

“Our family’s life was turned upside down. We had to make the tough choice to step back from our jobs and we decided to bring our three other young daughters with us to North Carolina. To ensure that we could fully focus on Sophia’s treatment while maintaining our family as together as possible , we made this decision. We wanted to be close to Sophia, providing her with unwavering support and love every step of the way. We understood that this would be a significant financial burden, but we recognized it as a necessary expense given the circumstances.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the JUST TRYAN IT Foundation for their incredible assistance. Without your remarkable foundation, I am uncertain what my family and I would have done. Your support has shown us that we are not alone in this battle against cancer. Your foundation has lifted some of the weight and worry from our shoulders. Since our daughter was diagnosed at the tender age of two, our world was shattered. Unfortunately, the world around us remained unaffected. For bill collectors, this meant that payments still needed to be billed and received.

“JUST TRYAN IT has had a profound impact on our family. I am so grateful that foundations like yours exist and step in to help families like ours. This foundation is a blessing, and I pray that it will always be blessed. From my family to yours, Thank you!️”

— Sophia’s mother, Karen

JUST TRYAN IT provided Sophia’s family with an emergency relief grant to help them to pay their rent.