All-Star Mila

“Mila asked why people were helping us, and I explained that it’s because they understand that being sick is very hard for a kid, and they want to help them through it. I told her there is a boy who got sick like you are sick and that there are people out there who will help us.” - All-Star Mila’s mom, Vanessa.

All-Star Mila, an energetic seven-year-old who loves dance class and cheerleading, didn’t understand what was happening when she started having intense pain in her stomach.

Little did she know that weeks later, she would trade the dance floor for a hospital room.

Her mom, Vanessa, knew something was wrong when Mila stopped eating and didn’t want to do anything. Mila lost 12 pounds. After countless trips to the doctor and another trip to the Emergency Room, Vanessa decided not to leave until she had an answer to what was happening to her daughter.

An ultrasound showed a large mass in Mila’s abdomen, and she was taken by ambulance to the Children’s Hospital an hour away for more tests.

Her mom told us she was hoping for the best possible news. But the news was devastating. Mila was diagnosed with Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma. Vanessa and Mila would spend the next 1 ½ weeks in the hospital. But it was only the beginning.

Mila underwent chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and more chemotherapy. In total, treatment lasted about 46 weeks.

Vanessa, who is a clinical laboratory scientist at a hospital, said she immediately stopped working, not being able to bear the thought of her daughter being alone in the hospital for even a moment.

She qualified for time off through the Family Medical Leave Act and then disability, which provided some income. Mila’s dad, Torey, returned to work and added hours to help pay the bills, including medical expenses.

The extra hours helped a little, but the family was also missing time together.

“It's a question of what the final bill will be and how are we going to pay for it?” Vanessa said. “When you are working, you have extra money for a short weekend vacation or to buy toys or clothes, but then suddenly you can’t do those things.”

They made the most of it when they could. When Mila had radiation treatment in another hospital further from home, Torey adjusted his hours again to work longer hours on fewer days and drove to be with the family on his days off. Between treatments, they were able to have some memorable days out together.

Vanessa said the growing medical bills were a reminder of what their lives had been before Mila’s diagnosis, and how much things had changed.

“I thought, financially, what is going to happen?” Vanessa said. “How will we pay for gas, food, and parking at the hospital? Mila was the priority, but all the time, the bills would pile up.”

Mila’s family applied for help from Pinky Swear and received a $200 gift card and letters of encouragement through the Orange Envelope Program.

“It was amazing when we received the Orange Envelope,” Vanessa said. “I told Mila there is a boy who got sick like you are sick and that there are people out there who will help us. She asked why people were helping, and I explained that it’s because they understand that being sick is very hard for a kid, and they want to help them through it.”

Vanessa said she used the gift card to pay for a tank of gas and some new clothes for Mila because she had lost so much weight.

“Her clothes were falling off her,” she said. “I got three sets of clothes and two pajamas. It was a relief. I could get her new clothes to help her feel comfortable, and that was a blessing.”

Until there is a cure for childhood cancer, families will always need support. Pinky Swear will be there.

“Of course, we want to make the kids smile and getting gifts and stuffies is great, but it’s also nice to know that people understand that we need financial help and want to give us the option to buy presents for Christmas or to use it for gas, clothes, groceries, whatever we need,” Vanessa said. “It’s so hard watching her go through this. I appreciate knowing that there are people out there who can empathize with us parents. The only thing we can do is be by her side as much as possible.”

The generosity of the childhood cancer community has been inspiring to Vanessa. So much so, she is hoping to be able to help others someday.

“I have always said since the beginning, I don’t need a reason why this happened, but I would love to give it a purpose, a purpose to help others,” Vanessa explained.