Katie’s Story

I was first diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma at the age of 17, during Christmas of 2018. Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare pediatric bone cancer, afflicted me with an extremely painful tumor located on my tailbone. Enduring one year of treatment, which encompassed extensive chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, numerous infections, numerous blood transfusions, battles with sepsis, and countless side effects, I finally emerged cancer-free by the end of 2019.

After enjoying a year of being cancer-free and completing my first year of college, I experienced a relapse during Christmas of 2020, at the age of 19. This time, the cancer had metastasized to my lungs, pelvis, and diaphragm. More rounds of chemotherapy, surgeries, blood transfusions, severe side effects, and radiation ensued. In September of 2023, I underwent an autologous stem cell transplant, utilizing my own stem cells.

These past 5+ years have been exceedingly challenging, and while I wish I could predict what lies ahead for me, I choose to maintain a positive outlook.

Thus far, my treatment journey has included:

• 105 doses of radiation

• 41 cycles of chemotherapy (350+ doses)

• 81 units of blood

• 15 surgeries

• Countless days spent in hospitals, both in Reno and at Stanford.

-Katie