Caitlyn was a very happy and easy going baby. She would melt your heart she was so precious! She was a typical baby until she was about 18 months old when we saw little twitches in her eyes. The doctor told us it was a neurological twitch that she would outgrow. A week later we noticed her hands would shake anytime she held something. The doctors again said the same thing – that she would outgrow it. Then her legs began to shake anytime she would walk and she could not walk without falling. The doctors were baffled and told us she would still outgrow it. Finally, after she started having what appeared to be seizures, doctors started taking us seriously and sent us to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).  There she was finally diagnosed 2 weeks before her second birthday with a neuroblastoma and a rare cancer called opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome. She had lost all her milestones and could no longer even hold her head up by herself. She lost her ability to do things we take for granted like walk, talk, or even swallow. After extensive rehabilitation and the help of her doctor, 4 years later I am happy to say Caitlyn has just reached a year remission and is currently being weaned off her Intravenous immunoglobulin. She is an active 6-year-old and we are praying for a long remission for her! Even through the years of treatment and hospital stays, her cancer never crushed her spirit! She is a brave little girl and I am proud to say I have my own little HERO!!!
 
Written by Noelle McGuire, Caitlyn's Mom
11/10