CNJ+ May 2023

A CHILD’S TRIBULATION Living with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia By, Pam Teel

Third grader, Emelina Sergentakis, has already been through so much in her eight years of life. Having been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was three years old, Emelina is cur rently on her second battle with the disease. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a type of blood cancer that affects white blood cells. Cancer starts in the bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside the bones, where blood cells are produced. These cells fight infection and help protect the body against disease. Also known as, acute lymphocytic leu kemia, patients with (ALL) have too many immature white blood cells in their bone marrow. These cells crowd out normal white blood cells. Without enough normal white blood cells, the body has a harder time fighting infections. ALL affects a type of white blood cell, lymphocytes, causing them to build up in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. When this happens, blood cell production becomes out of control. The bone marrow produces immature cells that develop into leukemic white blood cells called lymphoblasts. These abnormal cells are unable to function properly, and they can build up and crowd out healthy cells. Unfortunately, ALL is the most common type of childhood cancer. It most often occurs in children ages 3 to 5 and affects slightly more boys than girls. About 3,000 people younger than age 20 are found to have this type of leukemia each year in the United States alone. Emelina’s first diagnose with the disease was in December, 2017. Her symptoms were frequent fevers and bruises on her belly. After the diagnose, Emelina went into treatment, of which she completed in March, 2020. The disease just didn’t impact her physically, but mentally as well. She had to leave her friends and her school and give up what she loved to do the most, dancing, in order to undergo extensive chemotherapy, but according to her mom, Janine, Emelina always found a way to make the best out of a bad situation. Since her cir cumstances had changed, she became more involved with the people in the hospital and loved talking and interacting with them. When she was starting to feel like herself again, covid hit. It was tough for her because, after spending a good amount of time quarantined in the hospital, she was now restricted again in many ways. She was really happy when she was able to get back to school and to dance classes. Symptoms of ALL include; frequent infections, fever, easy bruising, bleeding that is hard to stop, flat, dark-red skin spots (petechiae) due to bleeding under the skin, pain in the bones or joints, lumps in the neck, underarm, stomach or groin, pain or fullness below the ribs, weakness, fatigue, paleness, loss of appetite, and shortness of breath. About 98% of children with ALL go into remission within weeks after starting treatment. About 90% of those children can be cured. Patients are considered cured after 10 years in remission. Short of a year later, while still in second grade, Emelina started getting body aches and fevers again. In November, 2021, she relapsed. The leukemia had come back. Next came forty -six days in the hos pital undergoing extreme chemotherapy. (The chemo is much harsher the second time around.) She battled sepsis, neuropathy, and chemo neurotoxicity that caused encephalopathy. She was in a con stant state of seizures and unable to communicate with her parents and older sister, Evangeline. She spent two of those weeks in the ICU and was sedated to let her body heal. When Emelina came to, she couldn’t walk or hold her head up on her own. Her speech was slurred and she was experiencing

double vision. At the end of 2021, Janine, and her husband, John, got her home for Christmas and worked extensively with her to get her walking again. They also did a lot of Lego’s and other things that focused on her fine motor skills. It took a few months, but by February, Emelina bounced back and was able to go back to do what she loved to do the most, dance. She was still in the intense part of treatment. She still could not compete, but she danced as much as her health allowed her to. Emelina is currently on maintenance chemotherapy, which allows for a more normal life, meaning she can go to school and go to dance classes. Just recently, Emelina had her final competition of the season at Step -by -Step Dance Studio, in Millstone Township. She took first place in overall honors; considering just two short years ago, she lost her ability to walk or talk. One thing for sure, even after two bouts with the cancer, and then extensive che motherapy, Emelina is a fighter. Congratulations on taking first place in overall honors in your dance class, Emelina. Keep doing what you love to do and keep on fighting. We are all rooting for you!

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