This beautiful young woman is Kristen Kirton. Like Kennedy, Kristen has Down syndrome and when Kristen was a little girl she battled Leukemia. She remained in remission for several years and doctors remained optimistic. However, she ended up relapsing... a word we, in the cancer community, dread with every fiber of our being. Kristen fought again, and beat it again! Then, in September 2008 she relapsed again.
They try HARD to avoid bone marrow transplants in people with Down syndrome. For whatever reason, their bodies just don't seem to handle it well. Still, with the 3rd relapse, they tested Kristen's siblings and found that her brother Rick was a match, should she need it. Fortunately, in April 2009, Kristen was declared cancer free once again.
However, by November, Kristen's mom was asking for prayer again... the awful reality of relapse sharp on everyone's minds... and just like that, with no warning, it was back. She has hit her lifetime limit on many of the chemotherapy drugs they would use to get her into remission, so her doctors are scrambling to find the perfect regimen for her, and once she's in remission, she'll need MORE chemo to get her ready for transplant... which is going to be VERY hard on her already tired body. But Kristen will fight, with her family by her side. Of this I have no doubt.
Kristen Kirton is 23 years old. She has beat cancer 3 times and is battling it a 4th time. She has had BOTH Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia AND Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. She loves Hannah Montana, going to the dollar store, and getting mail.
Kristen's mom, Polly, put out a request for cards for Kristen. This is probably the easiest time of year for this! Many of you will be addressing Christmas cards soon, will you add the address below to your list? It will brighten the day of one very special young lady, and if you could send a few prayers her way, I know they would appreciate that, too! You can click on her button above to get to her blog.
Kristen Kirton
P.O. Box 87
Draper, Utah 84020-0087
We're praying for you, Kristen!
Posts
12 comments:
I just got back from the post office. Sent a card out to Sweet Kristen today.
She will win this battle again! She has us all behind her!
This was a lovely post for Kristen!
I will definitely put this sweet face on my blog! I would love to try and send her a card, too! Do you know the name of the dollar store in her area? I wonder if they have gift cards.
May I copy this post to my blog? I would love for as many people as possible to pray for Kristen and send her a card.
Consider it done! Card and prayer! When is Frank flying home with Kellsey?
If something so simple will bring joy to one on pain, I'm all in!
Renee:
Thanks for posting this. I will definitely be sending something Kristen's way. I sent you an email: I don't know any other mom's whose kids have survived cancer (all the moms I was close to lost their kids, unfortunately)and have a couple of questions for you.
Thanks for sharing
Lori in PEI
Renee - I have been following Kennedy and your family for a long time - I started on Kennedy's carepage - my son, Mark, also has a carepage. I just wanted to tell you that I saw that the show Truth Be Told featuring your family is on December 2 at 9pm on Discovery Health according to their schedule. Also congratulations on your beautiful new daughter, Kellsey. We are praying that those first few months of adjustment for all of you go very smoothly! You're an awesome mom - your children and your husband are very blessed and vice versa of course!
My heart just sank. That is another "r" word that we hate and fear. I don't think our fear of relapse will ever go away. Praying for Kristen!!!
Thanks for posting this!
She should set up a Caringbridge page.
Praying!
II Corinthians 1:3-4: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Prayer Bears
My email address
goodness Renee that is so much to deal with, for someone so young. praying, praying, praying.
I had read about Kristen after Sarah Ely's mom wrote a post about her. (I am a Sarah groupie too LOL.) I will be more than happy to say many prayers and send a card.
Post a Comment