Charlotte loves watching Bluey, swimming, and all things princess! She has a very fun and playful personality and loves life! She does not like broccoli, but will sometimes eat it with cheese. She is also fighting cancer.

Charlotte was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on September 3, 2024. To say her family was devastated is an understatement.

In the middle of summer 2024, they began noticing that Charlotte was bruising more easily. This was the first real sign that something wasn’t right. Soon after, she started complaining of what they assumed were growing pains. Friends and family reassured us this was common, but over time, the discomfort worsened until it became difficult for her to get out of bed in the mornings. She also experienced occasional fevers and night sweats.

Because her symptoms were appearing gradually over a few months, often disappearing as quickly as they came, it was hard for her family to connect the dots.

One day, at a school function, a small scrape bled far more than expected, enough to surprise the school nurse. Around the same time, Charlotte’s daytime naps stretched from two hours to nearly four, and she began asking to go to bed much earlier than usual. Her complexion also became noticeably pale.

All of these signs could have been explained away. The fevers started just as her sister returned to school, so it could have all been a virus going around. The leg pain seemed typical for an active child.

Charlotte’s father has a family history of lymphoma, so when they finally took Charlotte to the pediatrician, the nurse practitioner listened carefully and ordered blood work. Since Charlotte also had strep throat during that visit, her family decided to wait until her antibiotics were finished before doing labs, as they were told the infection could affect results.

That evening, however, everything changed.

Charlotte’s condition declined drastically in less than eight hours. She was in visible distress, complaining of headaches, stomach pain, and leg pain. She barely ate all day. Her parents, Emily and Jesse, agreed they should take her to the ER, a decision that began a journey they could never have imagined.

After a few days at Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, Charlotte was officially diagnosed with B-cell ALL. While her family is grateful to finally have answers, the road since then has been incredibly difficult.

Charlotte endures daily pain, intense medication-induced food cravings, and the loneliness of being isolated from friends during cold and flu season. At just 2 years old, she couldn’t fully understand what was happening.

During induction, the first phase of chemotherapy, she went weeks without playing with her toys, seeing her friends, or spending time with their family dogs. Her hair fell out in the back, and her face and belly became swollen from treatment. Still, every so often, her bright, joyful personality would peek through, reminding her mom of the days before cancer entered our lives.

“This experience has changed our family forever,” said Emily. “But Charlotte has never lost her sparkle to cancer. I hope she does not let cancer define her, but embrace her journey. I have found so much purpose in raising money and it’s something I really enjoy!”

Emily loves that their family can raise money for a specific cancer through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. They also have a neighbor whose son has stage IV neuroblastoma. They held their stand this year to help fund research for his cancer, bringing the families closer together.

So far, Charlotte’s family has held two lemonade stands and hope to hold many more!

 “My sister is my best friend and I hope she beats cancer.” – Adeline, 7-year-old SuperSib to hero Charlotte

Information provided by Emily W., Charlotte’s mom
Updated June 2026