Sweet Mary Schroeder’s Leukemia Battle

Hi, my name is Julie and I am fundraising for my dearest friend’s daughter Mary Schroeder.

On Monday November 20, 2023, 7 year old Mary was admitted into the MACC Fund Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin with Leukemia. She has B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-Cell-ALL) Mary has an extensive projected 2 and a half year treatment plan and she is in a long fight for her life.

On November 1st of 2023 Mary woke up in the middle of the night crying in severe pain. Her legs hurt and there was no known explanation for it. We took her to the ER and was told it was growing pains and would go away on its own. The pain and uncomfortableness came and went, some days better than others. We treated it as told trying everything to comfort her, but nothing worked. Then the night of November 17th Mary woke up screaming in pain. The severe pain in her legs had also spread to her bottom and hips, with mild uncomfortableness spreading to her jaw. We returned to the ER on the 18th and was again confronted with a growing pain explanation. I asked if we could draw labs and make sure and it was dismissed as unnecessary and then the Dr joked to Mary that she didn’t really want to be poked by a needle, of course Mary panicked and cried. The Dr and nurse laughed as I tried to calm Mary knowing I wasn’t confident of what was happening. The nurse tried to reassure me on the way out that the Dr is a great Dr as I’m complaining this isn’t normal pain. By 5:00pm that night Mary couldn’t open her mouth. The pain had become so severe in her jaw and she was so hungry, but she couldn’t even chew a soft noodle. Tylenol/ibuprofen wasn’t working, my poor babygirl was in agony. It was now Sunday and we had no choice but to take her back to the ER. This time demanding labs and with a different Dr. This Dr. took things very seriously and did extensive labs. He immediately contacted Children’s Hospital with the abnormal results and we had an appointment at Children’s the next day. On the morning of Monday November 20th we were told that Mary has cancer. Nothing ever prepares you for hearing that, feeling that, being forced to live that. Every thing you have ever known just stops yet you have no choice but to move forward with each day.

Our beautiful 7 year old daughter, so filled with happiness and childhood innocence. So very lovingly vibrant with her own creative spunky personality. Fashionista for the world is her stage, with a heart for dance, drawing, baking, and animals. She should be laughing with her friends at sleepovers and learning to play volleyball as she was signed up to do. She should be going to school and running around playing games at recess. But she can’t even walk now. Her daddy should be braiding her beautiful strawberry blonde hair, but now it is almost all gone from her beautiful little head. From birth, because of her fierce & strong personality we lovingly have referred to her as Bear. #FightLikeaBear️

People tell us all the time that we are strong, but she is stronger. Strong is her ability to embrace a leukemia diagnosis at the tender age of seven. Strong is everything that she just has to do given no choice. To have a port surgically implanted under the muscle in her chest cavity for chemicals to be pumped through along with taking daily doses of medications and spinal taps every week. Strong is the love that we all have for each other. Mark, Jenny, Jason, Sam, Mary, & Bunny our dog. Strong is our faith in our great God. The One who shows us blessings and we praise each day through this storm.

We want to thank you for your thoughts, consideration and generosity!

Graciously,

The Felicilda Family