Charleigh is a spunky little girl who loves animals, Ms. Rachel, and Bluey. She also loves her brother and looks at him like he hung the stars.

Before Charleigh’s diagnosis, she was exhibiting many concerning symptoms: vomiting multiple times a day, not eating, sleeping all the time, and having night sweats. Her head circumference also jumped off the chart at 9 months old. These prompted several pediatrician visits, but she was told they were due to dairy intolerance. When a knot appeared on her head she was told it was “just a bug bite”. When she spiked a fever, the emergency department agreed that it wasn’t because of dairy, but didn’t know how to help.

This frustration led to a referral for a gastroenterologist (GI). Charleigh’s parents showed videos of Charleigh at the appointment, where her weight was also examined and her head circumference had jumped in size even more. The GI sent Charleigh to the emergency department for CT scans which showed lesions in her skull. Charleigh was admitted into the hospital, had a full body MRI, and biopsy followed by a PET scan.

These confirmed that Charliegh was not only positive for the BRAF gene, which is connected to the development of tumors, she was also diagnosed with multi-system Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in her liver, spleen, lungs, skull, temporal bone, spine, and other bones with CNS risk. She was only 10 months old.

Charleigh began 15 rounds of chemotherapy treatment. In February 2025, she had progression in three new spots, so she began a different chemo, which she will continue until February 2026.

Charleigh’s mom, Taylor, hopes that she will reach “no evidence of disease” and remain cancer-free in the future. Charleigh is her hero because she is so incredible and resilient. “I admire her strength and the courage she has shown during this journey,” said Taylor. “She handles the unimaginable with the most beautiful smile on her face. She has gone through more than I will ever begin to understand.”

Taylor also wants those who also may be facing a childhood cancer diagnosis to know that they’re not alone. “There is support and other families facing very similar journeys. God is good always even when we don’t understand,” she shared.

Foundations like Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation offer that kind of support, and Taylor loves the awareness they bring and how they fundraise. She would love to do the same, and hopes to get involved as an advocate in the childhood cancer world someday.

Information provided by Taylor S., Charleigh’s mom
Updated May 2025