Just a little over a 12 months in the past, scans recognized three tumors on Ava Weis’ physique at age 10. She quickly can be recognized with stage 2A Hodgkin lymphoma. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Ava completed chemotherapy at Corewell Well being and proton remedy at Beaumont Royal Oak Hospital in June 2022 and has been out of remedy for seven months. Ava is now in remission. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
She is spending her free time along with her pet, Ollie, at her aspect and is having fun with each minute of being a child once more. The highest photograph was taken in Might 2022 and the underside photograph was taken in January 2023. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Ava is again to highschool once more and solely wants to go to the hospital each three months for checkups to make sure she stays in remission, Jennifer mentioned. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Medical doctors informed Ava’s mother and father that after the primary two years of remission, Hodgkin lymphoma is much less more likely to return. The household stays optimistic. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Ava’s mother, Jennifer, has at all times defined the most cancers to Ava as a lot as is feasible. “I at all times marvel how a lot she thinks about it. And we by no means know. However Ava is one robust woman, and he or she’s busy loving her life as a lot as potential,” Jennifer mentioned. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Ava loves college, performs guitar and the drums and joined the basketball staff. “As mother and father, we at all times fear about our infants,” Jennifer mentioned. “We would like them to be wholesome and secure whereas additionally being appreciated for all of their uniqueness and quirkiness.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Ava Weis, 10, is aware of rather a lot about most cancers. Greater than most adults.
The fifth grader has already been throughout the state of Michigan and again for precision remedy at Corewell Health Beaumont Royal Oak Hospital and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and has spent numerous hours within the hospital.
The excellent news is, she’s lastly in remission. And spending extra time at dwelling getting again to her finest life.
Ava completed proton remedy at Beaumont Royal Oak Hospital in June 2022 and has been out of remedy for seven months.
She is spending her free time along with her pet, Ollie, at her aspect and is having fun with each minute of being a child once more.
Ava’s mother, Jennifer, mentioned Ava has taken up the ukulele after spending time with music therapists at each hospitals.
“The ukulele and guitar have adopted her by this complete journey,” Jennifer mentioned.
It began at Helen DeVos Kids’s Hospital, when Music Therapist Abby Walters launched Ava to a field of devices.
“Different hospitals don’t have the identical degree of music remedy,” Jennifer mentioned. “We’re appreciative for this system and particular consideration throughout remedy. And for the introduction to her new interest … the ukulele.”
Again to highschool
Ava is again to highschool once more and solely wants to go to the hospital each three months for checkups to make sure she stays in remission, Jennifer mentioned.
She’s at a brand new college this 12 months and he or she’s busy navigating new lecturers, pals and sports activities groups. All whereas strumming the ukulele in her free time, too.
“She was very nervous to go to a brand new college … she didn’t actually have any hair when she went again,” Jennifer mentioned. “It felt like rather a lot. However she did higher than I ever might have anticipated.”
Ava had spent a lot of the earlier 12 months out of college whereas she and her household have been touring forwards and backwards throughout the state for her remedy, so it took just a little time to get again within the swing of issues.
“She jumped proper in with each toes and by no means missed a beat,” Jennifer mentioned. “You’ve by no means seen a child extra excited to return to highschool.”
Jennifer mentioned it was good to let her be herself and be a child once more.
“Her greatest fear was which folder to make use of for every class,” she mentioned.
A vacation scare
Ava fell in poor health in December proper across the holidays, and her household nervous it could be the most cancers coming again once more.
On Christmas Eve, Ava requested her mother to really feel the lymph nodes in her throat, as they have been very swollen and painful.
“That is the place her most cancers began earlier than,” Jennifer mentioned. “I might see the panic in her face. I mentioned, ‘Honey, you’re sick, and I’m certain that is simply your physique’s response to being sick.’”
They visited her pediatrician and confirmed Ava’s physique was merely combating off a virus.
“A ten-year-old shouldn’t have to consider this stuff,” Jennifer mentioned. “She remains to be fighting a weaker-than-average immune system, so we now have to watch out.”
Jennifer mentioned she and her husband, Mike, have defined the most cancers to Ava as a lot as is feasible for a 10-year-old to grasp. They gave her all the data and the choice to speak to a counselor or therapist if she needed.
“I at all times marvel how a lot she thinks about it. And we by no means know,” she mentioned.
However Ava is one robust woman, and he or she’s busy loving her life as a lot as potential, Jennifer mentioned.
Excessive hopes forward
Ava has no upcoming appointments and he or she’s solely doing checkups on the hospital each three months.
“We’re hoping for even much less frequent visits quickly,” Jennifer mentioned.
Medical doctors informed Ava’s mother and father that after the primary two years of remission, Hodgkin lymphoma is much less more likely to return. So the household stays optimistic.
Ava is moving into theatre and music and not too long ago participated in a play by a group theatre. She performed a supporting position in “Cyrano de Burger Shack,” a really French basic, adult-themed play that was adjusted for a youthful viewers.
“She now seems like a Broadway star,” Jennifer joked.
Ava additionally joined the basketball staff and is maintaining busy studying all the brand new strikes on the court docket.
She additionally likes science and studying.
Ava’s canine, Ollie, a fun-loving English shepherd with an enormous coronary heart, can be a 12 months outdated in February, simply sooner or later after Ava’s birthday.
“He follows her each single step of the way in which,” Jennifer mentioned. “The 2 are simply inseparable.”
And Ava’s cat, Caramel Willy, nonetheless loves her to the moon and again.
“As mother and father, we at all times fear about our infants,” Jennifer mentioned. “We would like them to be wholesome and secure whereas additionally being appreciated for all of their uniqueness and quirkiness.”
