Kaitlyn is a determined 16-year-old girl who was very active in cheerleading and volleyball before her diagnosis. She's loud, proud, and dances in public. She's a bright light in a dark room!

At first, Kaitlyn’s family thought she had an injury from volleyball, but after a trip to the orthopedic doctor it was determined she needed further evaluation as soon as possible. Kaitlyn was then diagnosed with osteosarcoma of her left femur with a skip lesion.

She had limb salvage surgery in July of 2024, where they replaced her femur with a titanium rod and her knee with artificial implants. From April 2024 to June 2024, she underwent chemotherapy treatment, followed by another surgery on July 8. Kaitlyn continued chemo from September 2024 to December 2024.

Recently, Kaitlyn relapsed with osteosarcoma in her lung. She has since had a Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic surgery with a chest tube inserted, and today she is still fighting.

“The way she sees life and fights so hard is why she’s my hero,” said Kimberly, Kaitlyn’s mom. “She's determined, and when I get sad or worried she tells me, 'Stop it, I'm going to be ok'. Her strength through this all has been breathtaking and I'm full of pride.”

Kimberly wants to see her daughter graduate high school and college, get married and have babies. Inspired by the medical team that treated her first battle with cancer, Kaitlyn has plans to go to nursing school to become a pediatric oncology nurse for the unit she herself was treated on.

To those who may also be facing a childhood cancer diagnosis, Kimberly says, “It's not going to be easy, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. We always say ‘I love you’.”

To Kimberly, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation stands for hope that another set of parents will never have to hear "your child has cancer", or another child will not have to miss out on their childhood because of cancer.

Information provided by Kimberly H., Kaitlyn’s mom
Updated June 2025