Annika (Anni) Meier, was recognized with a medulloblastoma mind tumor in June 2021. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
She had been going by outpatient therapy for nearly two years at Corewell Well being’s Helen DeVos Kids’s Hospital. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anni not too long ago rang a shiny gold bell to rejoice a momentous event: She was lastly most cancers free. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Whereas she nonetheless faces ongoing long-term bodily, cognitive and neurological challenges, her household sees a vibrant future on the horizon. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Ringing the ceremonial bell is a large step in saying farewell to childhood most cancers. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Mark, Anni’s dad, mentioned her first three-month full mind scans had been simply achieved and every thing got here again showing steady. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anna’s older brother, Cam, provides Anni an enormous hug. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Mark and Anni’s mother, Lynn, was over the moon that her scans remained steady. “That was the primary superior information of the day,” Mark mentioned. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anni’s twin brother, Bode, adjusts her bravery beads. She acquired two years price of beads for each poke, process and milestone all through her battle in opposition to most cancers. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
“After which we got here again right here … to a spot the place we spent a variety of time over the previous two years. We had some actually arduous instances right here and a few actually good instances too.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
“She by no means as soon as gave us a tough time,” Mark mentioned. “And she or he nonetheless likes coming to the hospital. She all the time desires to see her associates on the ninth and tenth ground. They’re household and associates right here.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
“Speech could be tough for her, however you’ll be able to inform she’s having fun with the second,” Mark mentioned. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Mark mentioned Anni is a purpose setter and could be very robust. “She had some issues she needed to perform right now. And she or he did it,” he mentioned. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anni’s brother Cam mentioned this has been a scary time for him and their household. “She had been within the hospital for months, and day by day I’d come house and she or he wasn’t there,” he mentioned. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anni additionally has a particular good friend at house–an 11-month-old golden retriever named Tucker. “He’s all the time able to see her after hospital visits,” Mark mentioned. “He was her motivation by a lot of therapy.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
A photograph of Anni and her brothers sits on the windowsill of her bed room. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Lynn makes use of a carry system to move Anni to her mattress at their house in Rockford, Michigan. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anni’s household made her a e-book with pictures and names of her members of the family whereas she was going by therapy. They had been uncertain of her cognitive talents on the time, however she knew who everybody was. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Lynn transports Anni to her mattress. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Pictured in Anni’s e-book is a photograph of her and her twin brother, Bode. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anni was a proficient ski racer earlier than her analysis. Her medals and jerseys grasp in her bed room. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Lynn places a wig on Anni that was gifted to her together with her actual hair. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Mark and Lynn arrange a basis to assist different kids who might suffer from this uncommon type of most cancers. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Anni makes use of a tool to learn that connects to their TV. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
“Anni and her smile are the face of the group,” he mentioned. “We’ve got already helped some households right here and hope to do much more.” (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Tucker lays close to Anni at house. He places a smile on her face each single day. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Lynn and Mark proceed to make make adjustments at their house in order that issues are snug for Anni. They presently are engaged on making a path right down to the lake in order that she will have a enjoyable summer time and swim. (Taylor Ballek | Corewell Well being Beat)
Annika (Anni) Meier rang a shiny gold bell to rejoice a momentous event: She was lastly most cancers free.
An enormous smile got here throughout her face, shortly echoed by applause and hugs.
Household, associates, docs, nurses and others stopped by to rejoice.
Anni had been recognized with a medulloblastoma mind tumor in June 2021 at Corewell Well being’s Helen DeVos Kids’s Hospital and had been going by in and outpatient therapy for nearly two years.
Whereas she nonetheless faces ongoing long-term bodily, cognitive and neurological challenges, her household sees a vibrant future on the horizon.
And ringing the ceremonial bell is a large step in saying farewell to childhood most cancers.
It’s one thing all kids with most cancers hope for, because it signifies getting again to being a child once more. And dwelling a extra regular life exterior of the hospital.
Anni’s father Mark mentioned her smile is contagious. And he can’t imagine how extremely courageous she has been by the whole factor.
Mark mentioned she had simply had her first 12-month full mind scans achieved, and every thing got here again showing steady.
“That was the primary superior information of the day,” he mentioned. “After which we got here again right here … to a spot the place we spent a variety of time over the previous two years. We had some actually arduous instances right here and a few actually good instances too.”
He mentioned Anni is a purpose setter and could be very robust.
“She had some issues she needed to perform right now. And she or he did it,” he mentioned.
Stunning vacation information
Anni began exhibiting some signs round Christmas of 2020. Mark mentioned she was sick to her abdomen and had considerably much less vitality.
The signs caught round on and off all through the winter, and ultimately received worse.
“We knew one thing was unsuitable,” he mentioned. “We went by a variety of completely different exams earlier than getting this analysis.”
The official analysis of a mind tumor got here in June of 2021.
“She by no means as soon as gave us a tough time,” he mentioned. “And she or he nonetheless likes coming to the hospital. She all the time desires to see her associates on the ninth and tenth ground. They’re household and associates right here.”
Anni additionally has a particular good friend at house–an 11-month-old golden retriever named Tucker.
“He’s all the time able to see her after hospital visits,” Mark mentioned. “He was her motivation by a lot of therapy.”
Mark mentioned he and his household pray for all the kids within the hospital each night time.
In addition they arrange a Anni’s Military Basis to assist different kids who might suffer from this uncommon type of most cancers.
“Anni and her smile are the face of the group,” he mentioned. “We’ve got already helped some households right here and hope to do much more.”
A celebration to recollect
Kathryn Nichols, nurse tech on the pediatric oncology ground, was readily available for the bell ringing celebration. Together with a few dozen different household and associates.
“Everyone seems to be right here to rejoice Anni’s achievements, with the care workforce making it a particular occasion for the youngsters and their households,” she mentioned. “All of us attempt to cease what we’re doing for these particular moments if we are able to.”
The Youngster and Household Life workforce even created a large, hand-painted banner to assist put Anni within the spirit of celebration too.
She wore a pink hoodie with a large necklace of bravery beads displaying her power and braveness.
Bravery beads are are handed out one after the other for dealing with powerful therapy moments like pokes, injections and chemotherapy remedies.
Anni’s brother Cam mentioned this has been a scary time for him and their household.
“She had been within the hospital for months, and day by day I’d come house and she or he wasn’t there,” he mentioned.
“It feels nice after every thing we now have been by. It’s only a aid.”
The gang cheered and music performed as Anni was rolled beneath her celebration banner for a photograph. Her brother gave her an enormous hug and stood at her aspect.
“Speech could be tough for her, however you’ll be able to inform she’s having fun with the second,” Mark mentioned.
“Protected travels house right now, and congratulations once more,” Beth Kurt, MD, mentioned. “You rejoice massive tonight, OK?”
Nursing Technician Sarina Vigil gave her a hug and wished her effectively too.
She mentioned she has by no means seen some other baby with extra bravery beads and asserted that she deserves each single one.
“I’m so comfortable for you. I really like that you’ve got all these beads and I really like you a lot,” she mentioned. “It was lots right now. It’s been wild. I’m happy with you, girly.”
Rebecca Loret de Mola, DO, Anni’s oncologist, mentioned it was a tough tumor to deal with, however that she did nice in remedy.
“This explicit kind could be very aggressive and comes with threat,” she mentioned. “It’s curable, however we have to use excessive doses of radiation and chemotherapy.”
She mentioned Anni is one in all a form.
“To get so far is unimaginable,” she mentioned. “She all the time has such a superb angle. All the things she has been up in opposition to, she all the time met with a smile.”
Dr. Loret de Mola added that these celebrations are considerably uncommon in her space, so right now was exceedingly particular.
“I’m a doctor who works with mind tumors,” she mentioned. “Half of the kids I work with won’t ever get to ring a bell. So, I’m so thrilled we had been in a position to do that.”
