Love for Lydia

Love for Lydia This page will keep everyone up to date with events, fundraisers, photos, and medical updates for Lydia � Fundraiser

Today marks a special day.🎗 Lydia has her first ACT appointment at St. Jude. The ACT Clinic, founded in 1984, is the wor...
05/28/2025

Today marks a special day.🎗 Lydia has her first ACT appointment at St. Jude. The ACT Clinic, founded in 1984, is the world’s largest clinic following childhood cancer survivors. Their goal is to help kids stay healthy after cancer or other life-threatening diseases. Lydia has been tumor free for 6 years! 💜

We went from weekly St. Jude appointments with numerous scans, tests, & surgeries, to monthly, to every 3 months with bloodwork, to 6 months with only CT scans and broncoscopy procedures, and now only once a year! She still meets with her other doctors throughout the year, but we are down to 3-4 appointments a year now. 🩺

Today, she gets an EKG to check her heart ❤️ blood workup 🩸and mets with a team of doctors to make sure all is still good! 💉

You're a rockstar Lydia! If you want to help celebrate, consider making a donation to St. Jude. She wouldn't be here without them. 🙏

https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sc_dcm=58700008008698866&sc_cid=kwp&sc_cat=b&&&&&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1290690&ds_rl=1291300&ds_rl=1285465&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17681679263&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi9qktp_GjQMVH9TCBB2e7CQTEAAYASAAEgJp0_D_BwE

A new journey starts soon! 💜She has overcome so much - crazy to see this memory from 7 years ago. But, in 4 weeks, we ...
04/26/2025

A new journey starts soon! 💜

She has overcome so much - crazy to see this memory from 7 years ago. But, in 4 weeks, we start a new milestone! Lydia is now part of the ACT Clinic at St. Jude.

The ACT Clinic, founded in 1984, is the world’s largest clinic following childhood cancer survivors. The After Completion of Therapy (ACT) Clinic at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital provides follow-up care and health counseling for long-term childhood cancer survivors who were treated at St. Jude one a year until the age of 18.

Cancer treatments can cause health problems months or years after treatment is over. These conditions are called late effects. They may include second cancers, thinking and learning problems, or health problems that affect different parts of the body.

So in 4 weeks, Lydia will spend most the day at the hospital to undergo series of tests, scans, an EKG, bloodwork, and meet with a team of doctors, nurses social workers, and a psychologist.

St. Jude gave her life back and I'm forever grateful for that. Deep down, that fear is still there that at any given moment life can change with one illness or doctor's appointment, but watching Lydia dance, participate in sports, and exceed in school - that is what I hold onto to! ❤️

If you're looking to do a good deed, donate today to St. Jude.
https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sc_dcm=58700008008698866&sc_cid=kwp&sc_cat=b&&&&&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1290690&ds_rl=1291300&ds_rl=1285465&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17681679263&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs8eX_uD1jAMVzxGtBh2iOTgXEAAYASAAEgJaSPD_BwE

We made our regular holiday trip down to Peoria today to see Lydia's lung specialist. All is good on her health! (Bad th...
11/28/2024

We made our regular holiday trip down to Peoria today to see Lydia's lung specialist. All is good on her health! (Bad thing though - her 2nd pulmonary doctor is leaving and we may have to change hospitals/providers now). 🫁

Normally, we are down here every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years seeing her team of doctors and running all kinds of tests. Looking back at the year of 2016 and the beginning of 2017, I still dont know how we made it through years of fear. But my sweet girl never quit, and my support team didn't let me either. ❤️ 🥊

But here we are ending 2024 - and as many of you know, Lydia was considered cured in June this year! 🪅 5 years with no third reoccurance! Now, we only have St. Jude once a year and her lung specialist twice a year.

Tomorrow as we celebrate Thanksgiving - I am thankful for many things, but I am especially thankful she gets to live her life as a healthy, dance-loving, beautiful soul, pre-teen girl. And, I'm especially thankful for the people who have helped us navigate this journey one day at a time. 💖

Happy Thanksgiving!

🎉🎉CELEBRATION TIME! 🎉🎉If you asked me 7½ years ago how I was, you would have seen me on the bathroom floor hyperventilat...
06/26/2024

🎉🎉CELEBRATION TIME! 🎉🎉

If you asked me 7½ years ago how I was, you would have seen me on the bathroom floor hyperventilating in fear having panic attacks hiding from Lydia so she didn't see me being scared. Those were some of the hardest, heartbreaking, scariest days of our lives.

But - fast forward to now! After surgeries, chemo, endless shots and needles, hundreds of checkups, so many bronch procedures, and many hospital stays, this girl is CONSIDERED CURED!!! 😃 She has reached 5 years with no reoccurance!

She now she moves to the ACT clinic! The ACT Clinic is specially designed for long-term survivors of childhood cancer who were treated at St. Jude. You are eligible to transfer to the ACT Clinic once you have stayed cancer-free for at least two years after stopping therapy, and it has been at least five years since your diagnosis.

We only have to go once a year now to St. Jude. ❤️ You are my brave, strong, beautiful "Rockstar". The future is bright for you and I'm so thankful you're here to experience life!

This picture was 7 years ago as we went home after staying at the hospital in Peoria for what seemed like forever. Can't...
01/15/2024

This picture was 7 years ago as we went home after staying at the hospital in Peoria for what seemed like forever. Can't believe this has been our life for that many years already...

This picture was after her 1st major surgery when the tumor was removed and part of her lung. This was the day she was strong enough to go home. We were in the parking lot of the Family House packing up and that little kitty she still has today.

In 2 weeks, we will be staying at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois as we will be at the hospital bright and early at 5am for her CT and broncoscopy procedure. She has been in good health and hasn't had either of these for over 1 ½ years, so here is to praying all is good as we continue to make our way to the 5 year mark of being cured!

If you would like to donate any food, basic hygiene, laundry, or other daily items, let me know. Also - soda can tops! We have a bag ready to donate already!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
12/25/2023

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

🎄It is that time of year again to give and be grateful! We will be making a stop at the Family House on December 28th wh...
11/26/2023

🎄It is that time of year again to give and be grateful! We will be making a stop at the Family House on December 28th when Lydia has her St. Jude appointments in Peoria.

This place was our home many times during surgeries, appointments, tests and scans (at the time, there was no Ronald McDonald House).

This house gave us comfort and a home during many scary, tough times. 🙏 Please consider making a difference for other families going through scary medical times by making a donation either to provide a room, or to stock up the pantry/rooms for people staying there.

🔹️ I can pick up doantions! Giftcards for Walmart, Target, or Amazon they take too. Please have items ready by Tuesday, December 26th. You can also donate online.

*Food: Chips, Granola & Breakfast bars, fruit cups, pudding cups, Popcorn, Oatmeal, Sugar, Powder Creamer, Fruit Snacks, Trail Mix, Grits, Cheese/Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, Tuna/Hamburger Helper, Spaghetti, Spaghetti Sauce, Mac n Cheese.

*Canned Goods: Fruit, Vegetables, Tuna, Chicken, & Ravioli, Other Non-Perishables & individual snack items.

*Paper Products: Paper Towels & Napkins, Paper Plates, Toilet Paper, Kleenex Cups, Plastic Forks/Spoons/Knives, Gallon/Quart/Snack Size Storage Bags.

*Other Supplies: Laundry Soap, Dish Soap, Liquid Hand Soap, Shout, Dishwasher Tabs, Dryer Sheets, Microban, Fabuloso, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Bathroom Cleaner, Clorox Wipes, Bleach Sponges.

*Personal Supplies: Razors, Deodorant, Feminine Hygiene Products, Brushes, Combs, Word Puzzles Books, Fidget Toys, Throw Blankets.

You can download their wish list at familyhousepeoria.org. You can also shop on their wish list at Amazon, Walmart & Target and your donation will arrive on their doorstep.

Amazon - https://a.co/7yayxOm

Walmart - https://www.walmart.com/registry/ER/ae7be5ab-3bbe-4d16-9de8-1e412b42190d

Target - https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/familyhouse-wishlist

Thank you for making a difference!

6 ½ years ago ,I held Lydia in my entire body wrapped up in my arms saying how brave she was as she was going through so...
11/22/2023

6 ½ years ago ,I held Lydia in my entire body wrapped up in my arms saying how brave she was as she was going through some of the scariest times of her life. Now as we make our way down to Peoria 3 times in the next 4 weeks, we are working towards May 2024 when we can scream from the rooftops that she's in remission.

Continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers for healthy checkups over the next month. Today, will be seeing her pulminonlogist to check her lungs and breathing, and then in a few weeks St. Jude for blood work and a physical, and then her eye specialist. 🎗 ❤

6 month check up! 4 years chemo and tumor free. Lydia's checkup at St. Jude went well. We will have 2 more appointments ...
06/22/2023

6 month check up! 4 years chemo and tumor free. Lydia's checkup at St. Jude went well. We will have 2 more appointments at the clinic (Dec. 2023 and June 2024) and then she will be a "survivior" and will move to a different clinic for once a year! We will continue with pulmonary visits every 6 months and will work towards yearly as well. Things are good so we are celebrating with smoothies from Smoothie King! 👑

6 month check up! 4 years chemo and tumor free!! Bear-bear has been coming from day one 6 years ago! The doctors and nur...
06/22/2023

6 month check up! 4 years chemo and tumor free!! Bear-bear has been coming from day one 6 years ago! The doctors and nurses who see her always welcome them both!

We are starting to pack for Camp Hope! For 3 years due to covid, Lydia has not been able to attend this amazing camp in ...
06/01/2023

We are starting to pack for Camp Hope! For 3 years due to covid, Lydia has not been able to attend this amazing camp in person. We have done it virtually, but now she will get the full experience with her sister on the camp ground this year!!

Camp Hope's mission is to serve those affected by cancer, blood diseases and other catastrophic illnesses with free, in-person and medically safe camps and other support programs. These programs are designed to help heal the emotional wounds caused by these diseases with activities that build friendships, community, and confidence.

Lydia will take Alayna for the first time to this FREE 5-day camp! I'm going to miss them like crazy, but so blessed and thankful they get this opportunity. To learn more about this camp or to donate to keep this possible every year, see the link below.

https://www.camphopefoundation.org/

Address

530 NE Glen Oak Ave
Peoria, IL
61603

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