CommUNITY Champion: Survivor paves the way for positive change in pediatric cancer

ORG. WELL, PAVING THE WAY FOR POSITIVE CHANGE IN PEDIATRIC CANCER. HANNAH ADAMS, OUR WVTM 13 PROJECT COMMUNITY CHAMPION. TONIGHT TRANS AFFIRMING HER PERSONAL BATTLE TO A POWERFUL MISSION, ADVOCATING FOR AWARENESS AND SUPPORT. I LOVE TO LOOK BACK ON THIS PICTURE AS HANNAH ADAMS HOLDS A PICTURE OF HER YOUNGER SELF WEARING A PRINCESS DRESS. MEMORIES FLOOD IN. MY MOM NOTICED A SLIGHT BULGE IN THE SIDE OF MY STOMACH AND THAT NIGHT I WOKE UP WITH A HIGH FEVER. SO WE WENT TO MY PEDIATRICIAN THE FOLLOWING DAY WHO INSTANTLY KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I HAD SOME BLOODWORK, SOME SCANS, AND THAT’S WHEN I WAS TOLD, YOU HAVE CANCER. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE THREE BLASTOMA, WHICH MEANT A SOFTBALL SIZED TUMOR WAS SURROUNDING HER LEFT KIDNEY. SHE ENDURED CHEMOTHERAPY, RADIATION AND SURGERY TO REMOVE THE CANCEROUS TUMOR. ALONG WITH HER KIDNEY. WE HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, GOT TO GET SURGERY. MY HAIR WAS FALLING OUT. AND A PART OF MY CHILDHOOD WAS TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE OF CANCER. I HAD TO GROW UP SO MUCH FASTER AND FOR MY PARENTS TO GO THROUGH THE THOUGHT, WHAT IF I LOSE MY CHILD? THAT’S THE WORST THING THAT ANY PARENT COULD EVER HAVE TO FACE. THE ENTIRE FAMILY, INCLUDING HER SISTER HAYLEY, IMPACTED BY THE DIAGNOSIS. I WANTED TO BE THERE FOR MY SISTER AND MAKE SURE THAT SHE FELT NORMAL. EVERY PEDIATRIC CANCER FIGHTER JUST WANTS TO FEEL NORMAL. 13 YEAR CANCER SURVIVOR AND THAT EXPERIENCE HAS REALLY PAVED THE WAY FOR MY PASSION AND MOTIVATION TO HELP OTHER KIDS WHO ARE BATTLING CANCER AT THE YOUNG AGE OF EIGHT, SHE REALIZED THE POWER OF HER VOICE, SHARING HER STORY AND STARTED RAISING MONEY. AT FIRST, WITH SMALL EVENTS LIKE LEMONADE STANDS, THEN CHARGING A DOLLAR FOR A LEMONADE AND THAT’S REALLY WHAT STARTED OUR PASSION TO HELP OTHERS WITH IT. AND THEN FROM THAT POINT ON, I BECAME INVOLVED IN HYUNDAI HOP ON WHEELS AS THEIR NATIONAL YOUTH AMBASSADOR, AND I WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL THE COUNTRY AND RAISE OVER $30 MILLION IN PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH GRANTS AND MEET THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WHO HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. AND IN 2019, WITH HER SISTER BY HER SIDE. WE NEED TO DO MORE. THEIR OWN NONPROFIT, HUGS FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER, WAS BORN OUTSTANDING FOR HELPING YOU GET STRONGER AND WE FOCUS ON LEGISLATIVE AWARENESS. FAMILY SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS WITH IT CARE PACKAGES SENT TO FAMILIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. POLICY GENERATING MILLIONS IN FUNDING FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH AND A STORY BRINGING LIGHT TO COUNTLESS CHILDREN. WHEN A KID HEARS MY STORY, THEY THEY THINK IF HANNAH CAN DO IT, I CAN DO IT TO THE HANNAH BEAT CANCER. I CAN GET THROUGH THIS HURDLE. BE HOPEFUL. HOPE CAN TAKE YOU TO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES. AND IF YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE HOPE, YOU’RE GOING TO REALIZE THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY. YEAH, PRETTY INCREDIBLE. WITH THEIR NONPROFIT, THEY ALSO GOT A GRANT OVER $100,000 OVER A FEW YEARS FROM THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TO EXPAND TO REACH EVEN MORE PEOPLE. WHAT A JOURNEY. AND JUST WHAT SHE’S ABLE TO SHARE HER STORY AND RELATE TO FOLKS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH IT OR HAVE GONE THROUGH IT AS WELL, AND JUST MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE. THAT’S THE BEST THING, RIGHT? REACHING, REACHING OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. I WANT TO MENTION, TOO