All-Star Sophie

“We are so deeply grateful for the incredible support we received, especially the financial help, which allowed us to set aside worries and be fully present with her in those precious months.” All-star Sophie’s mom, Christine.

Receiving a chemo duck — a stuffed toy that can be poked with needles — and a ready bag had Christine thinking, “Gosh, we are a family that gets things like that now.”

It was an acknowledgement of the harsh reality that your child has cancer, a gut punch following the joy of giving birth to two children following fertility treatments.

Sophie was diagnosed in April 2025 at age three with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, the most serious form of the disease.

Treatment was aggressive, but by June, she was in remission. A bone marrow transplant and more treatment loomed in the future.

Then, in late July of 2025, Sophie’s family learned that her leukemia was back and that her chances of survival were slim. She could no longer have a bone marrow transplant and needed to be transferred back to Children’s Hospital for more aggressive treatment since her cancer was very resistant to chemotherapy. 

Sadly, Sophie's little body was unable to overcome the challenges it faced. She passed away on August 10, 2025. 

Sophie and her brother were long-awaited additions to the family as Christine and her husband, Robert, eagerly wanted children. Both children — Sophie and her big brother — were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which brought another set of challenges for the family.

Christine loves children, which inspired her to open her own daycare after the birth of Sophie’s big brother.

Robert has worked for the same company for almost 20 years.

Christine and Robert describe themselves as just an ordinary family, not unlike most families today. They love camping with Robert’s softball team and spending time with grandparents who live close by.

Christine reflects on the start of their journey with Sophie’s cancer.

After several doctor’s visits because of fevers, possible pneumonia, and finally bruising around her eyes, Christine took her to the Children’s Hospital, where they waited for hours.

She remembers the room being “freezing,” at just 59 degrees. When the doctor finally came in at 4:30 a.m., they believed the bruising was because Sophie’s platelets were low and that maybe she was having an allergic reaction.

Christine advocated for more testing.

“I wanted her to be better and have a clear answer,” she said. “So, the doctor decided that there was enough to admit her, especially since our primary care didn’t have an appointment available for over a week.”

Sophie was put on the seventh floor of the hospital, the cancer floor. But since the tests were not clearly pointing to that, Christine still held out hope that it was something else. 

A few hours after being admitted to the hospital, Sophie’s bone marrow came back with the results. The doctor gave them the news no parent wants to hear: Their daughter had cancer. 

Throughout Sophie’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, everything was a challenge. Robert was told that his daughter had cancer over the phone because he had shingles at the time and, therefore, also wasn’t allowed to visit her for weeks.

Chemotherapy started immediately, so Christine had to shut down her in-home daycare to spend a month at the hospital with Sophie.

Without her income, Christine and Robert were forced to consider how they would navigate their usual living expenses and Sophie’s care.

“We instantly started to think, do we sell the house right away and live in our RV? Do we have to think about bankruptcy? How are we going to keep everything with one income?” Christine said.

During Sophie’s treatment, Robert took a couple of weeks off under the Family Medical Leave Act, and the family hired a neighbor’s daughter to babysit their son. Robert was working fewer hours to accommodate the babysitter, which means his paychecks are smaller.

A friend started a GoFundMe account to help the family. And the hospital put them in touch with Pinky Swear, Christine said.

“Both those things are huge to help us,” she said. 

Robert’s income looks good on paper, but he also pays for all the health insurance, Christine said.

“A person’s hardship is not income-based. No matter how much money you make, when something like this happens, you take a hit, and you can’t pay your bills,” she said.

When the family was approved by Pinky Swear for financial support, it provided immediate relief.

“It relieved so much stress,” Christine said. “We couldn’t keep our home without (Pinky Swear) donors. It just gives us a sense of relief and much less worry.”

The Pinky Swear community showed up for Sophie’s family during a time of need, and Sophie’s parents insisted we share her story after her passing to show their gratitude. Pinky Swear is grateful to them for their grace and courage to share her story as they navigate their lives without their sweet girl.

“Sophie’s journey was heartbreakingly short — diagnosed on April 29th and taken from us far too soon on August 10th. In that short time, she showed us more strength, courage, and joy than most do in a lifetime. Even through the endless treatments and hospital days, she found a way to smile, to laugh, and to bring light to everyone around her. That’s the Sophie we will always carry in our hearts,” Christine said.