Photo: Dani (far right) with her sister Gabi and her mom Naveena
Dear Friends,
As the mother of a cancer survivor, I offer this message with our story . . .
My daughter, Dani had always been a healthy kid. She ate organic veggies and led an active life, playing many sports including field hockey, squash, and softball. I always checked off “no” next to the long list of ailments on the questionnaires in the pediatrician's office. Her doctors affectionately described her as a “boring patient” because she was so healthy. Those halcyon days came to an abrupt end, in the fall of Dani's junior year of high school, when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Suddenly, our normal life as we knew it had disappeared.
Instead of shuttling Dani to field hockey tournaments or school events, we were now making frequent trips to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The initial rounds of chemotherapy were tough. The drugs were so strong that while they attacked the cancer, they also zapped Dani's energy and caused all sorts of side effects. Throughout those rough times, we had an amazing support system that pulled us through. Family members, friends, colleagues, as well as students, teammates, teachers, and coaches at Penn Charter lifted us through this difficult journey.
Dani's love for (and love from) her Penn Charter Field Hockey (PCFH) team was a major positive force in this process. Her coaches, Natasha Pronga, Catherine Ezzo, and Chelsea Erdmanis, had a special way of providing a balance between being tough while creating the perfect motivational messages at just the right time. With support from her coaches and teammates, Dani was determined to battle her most formidable opponent, the one in her body, to get back in the field for her last year of high school.
We had to navigate life inside and outside of CHOP as Dani completed several months of chemotherapy. With each round of chemotherapy, her doctors had positive news to report: Dani's body was responding well and the drugs were reducing the presence of cancer. Towards the end of her treatment, her doctors analyzed her scans and other tests, and reported, “We no longer see any signs of cancer. Dani is in remission.”
It has been five years since we heard the news of Dani's remission status. Dani returns to CHOP periodically for blood work and post-treatment check-ups. With her health in order, Dani was able sprint back on to the field, playing field hockey with her team again during her senior year at Penn Charter. Dani went on to attend Georgetown University and she graduated last May. She now works in San Francisco and lives each moment with a sense of gratitude that she is a survivor.
On April 23rd, I will climb the 1,092 stairs of the Comcast Building in an effort to raise awareness and funding for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Please support our Big Climb efforts in honor of Dani, so that others can receive the best chance at fighting cancer, and climb to great heights in their life journeys.
With Gratitude,
Naveena Bembry & the Bembry Family