Chloe Rodriguez, 9
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Watch out Rice University. A future pre-med student is preparing for
admission. Chloe Rodriguez, 9, has high hopes and solid plans for
her future — cancer or no cancer.
The active third-grader proudly proclaims:
“Cancer is not going to control my life. Getting leukemia isn’t a
death sentence.”
And there you have it — just a glimpse at
the determined attitude that has kept this young lady looking right
past leukemia and on to medical school.
Such courage and fortitude from someone so
young was amazing to many, starting with her family. Chloe’s mother,
Lisa, admitted that thinking of her daughter’s illness often
conjured up an array of emotions, but it was hard to feel down when
her daughter had such an uplifted spirit.
“When the kids at Chloe’s school found out
she had cancer they were running around saying that she was going to
die. But Chloe is right —It is not a death sentence, especially with
all of the wonderful research and treatments that are now
available,” said Lisa. “This is just a bump in the road. Life will
go on and Chloe will grow up to be whatever she wants to be.”
Lisa and her husband, Greg, did decide
that homeschooling was the best option for Chloe when she was
receiving treatments. But besides that decision they have worked
hard to maintain a normal life for their daughter, which includes
activities such as kickball, horseback riding, swimming and crafts.
The encouragement of “normal” living even
after the cancer treatments, combined with an optimistic attitude
has contributed significantly to Chloe’s cancer going into
remission.
Lisa reminds the community that Texas
Children’s Hospital is continually researching ways to fight
childhood cancers and is working hard to close the 20 percent gap.
Eighty percent of all patients have successful outcomes with
treatment at Texas Children’s Hospital.
“The staff is not going to be satisfied
until the success rate is 100 percent. What goes on here is more
than professional stuff,” said Lisa. “It’s emotional and spiritual.”
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