The New Year is looking up for a five-year-old Trail girl who is battling cancer.
Cadance Brace’s strength continues to amaze her parents Jeremy Brace and Amy Kotyk, who have been in Vancouver with her since November.
Cadance is diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, cancer of the white blood cells, and is receiving chemotherapy at BC Children’s Hospital until the summer.
She just completed her induction period to chemotherapy; the goal of this is to achieve remission, which means that leukemia cells are no longer found in bone marrow samples, the normal marrow cells return, and the blood counts become normal.
“The doctor is really happy with the way she’s responded,” said Brace. “Her blood count came back good, her white blood cells are up and her hemoglobin is as high as it’s been so far.”
Cadance’s cancer is now in remission but her fight is not over yet.
The parents were hoping for news of a low risk assessment for Christmas this year but instead received word that their daughter is considered standard risk but a slow responder.
With that in mind, it was decided to not take any chances and treat her like she was a high-risk case. Her treatment is about to become more serious as she moves into the consolidation phase, which typically includes multiple cycles of intensive chemotherapy.
“It is what it is,” said Brace. “It’s not in my hands. I can only support Amy and Cadance.”
Brace is blown away with the tremendous support outpouring from his community, which has enabled him to stay down on the Coast with his girls.
In just over a month about $20,000 has been raised to alleviate the cost of staying away until chemotherapy treatment is complete.
The money will cover the family’s mortgage and bills back home but will also pay for costs associated with staying in Vancouver.
Volunteers are in full force today preparing for a New Year’s Eve benefit dinner, dance and silent auction at the Cominco Gym from 6:30 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.) to 1 a.m. The no-minors dinner, which includes appetizers, midnight snack and champagne, is catered in kind by Darren Rossi. Bands Green Avenue, Round 2 and Emerson have also volunteered their time to put on the big event. A safe ride home is ensured by the AM Ford Shuttle Service.
Donations can be made to the Hope for Cadance Trust Fund at Kootenay Savings or online at (www.gofundme.com») For more information visit the Hope for Cadance Facebook page or contact Helen Bobbitt directly at 231-7971.