Help Penelope Fight Leukemia!

My name is Amanda. This fundraiser is for my best friend's daughter, who happens to also be my daughter's best friend. Penelope and Ellie declared themselves besties in preschool 5 years ago, and the Pearsons -- Penelope; her brother, Theo; and her parents, Liz & Todd -- have been a huge part of our lives ever since.

Penelope was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) on Tuesday, December 13, 2022. She was inpatient in Pediatric Oncology at the UI Children's Hospital until December 23. As of 1/16/23, she has been back for 3 clinical procedures, 2 blood transfusions, and 1 overnight inpatient stay. She has been an absolute warrior through blood tests, lumbar punctures, bone marrow tests, having a port installed, receiving chemo and steroids, and so much more. She has recently started requiring the use of a walker, due to the effects the steroids are having on her leg muscles.

Penelope just finished the induction phase, and we are waiting and hoping for good results from her next set of tests before she can move to the next phase. Even if all goes according to the medical team's original plan, treatment will take 2.5 - 3 years, and Penelope's specific genetic mutation has a relapse rate around 25%. There is no way to know what bumps we will hit along the way, and it's hard to predict exactly what Penelope and her family will need over the course of this ordeal, which is why I'm starting this as an open-ended fundraiser. There will certainly be a mountain of medical bills, but it's not just that. I'm constantly discovering new needs -- items to sanitize the house and make it accessible for Penelope, repairs and maintenance on the house and the van that now has to travel to and from the hospital regularly, and simply covering for the loss of Liz's income now that she is a full-time caregiver for Penelope.

Please know it is hard to ask for help, and anything you give is very much appreciated. It is not lost on us how very lucky we are to have this amazing village of people who care about Penelope and her family. #PenelopePower