I was a pediatric leukemia nurse care manager for six years before becoming the mom of a dragonfly myself. No amount of knowledge or experience can prepare you for the words, “your child has cancer”. Our daughter, Isla, was diagnosed with high risk Acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 20 months old. My coworkers and friends took on a new role in …
Rick, age 32, is a 5-time survivor and a Dragonfly. Since age 8, Rick has diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a form of brain cancer. He endured numerous surgeries and aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments (including cranial and spinal radiation). Numerous side effects compromised his immune system and resulted in other medical concerns, including bacterial meningitis and shingles. He conquered his original …
In this podcast, Dragonfly mom, Aimee, shares what happened after they moved to Cincinnati, OH in the hope of finding a cure for her teen-aged son Ian’s health issues. After being misinformed by doctors in her former town, a Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center endocrinologist diagnosed Ian with a rare form of cancer: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). This form of cancer …
This episode of The Dragonfly Effect podcast focuses on how Dragonfly provides emotional, relational and practical support for its families in critical times during and after treatment. Devon shares how Dragonfly supported her family in a way no one else could, becoming a beacon of light in dark times while her family struggled with isolation and financial pressure throughout her son’s cancer treatment. She also describes ongoing challenges related to recovery and survivorship.
“❤ when we joined the Dragonfly we never thought we’d make life long friends, we never thought we’d have a caring ear 24/7. When we cry, they cry. When we laugh, they laugh. When we celebrate, they celebrate. Em has received gifts when it’s not expected and they truly brighten her day. They put on parents night out or PNO, where …
Recently, a Dragonfly mom named Lauren Young wrote a thank you letter to The Dragonfly Foundation… It touched our hearts so much that we asked if she would be willing film a testimonial video for us. Lauren, working closely with our friends at ChiliDog Pictures (and with the help of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center), went the extra mile and recreated her/her family’s experience as Dragonflies. …
An Open Thank You Letter To: Dragonfly co-founders, Ria and Christine, and our friends at The Dragonfly Foundation, This email has been a long time coming. You may need tissues by the time I am finished. I don’t even know where to begin. All I do know is you were the light and continue to be in the darkest time …
My name is Dawn Baker. This story is about my son Frankie, our family’s journey with cancer, and how The Dragonfly Foundation has been a light for us during a very dark time. Before Frankie was even born, he was diagnosed with some kind of mass in his chest. It wasn’t long after he came into this world that doctors …
Following is a post written by a Dragonfly mom who shared information about our upcoming Dragonfly Grand Gala with her friends on Facebook: “This charity organization is AMAZING. They give tickets to families (with a child fighting cancer or “Dragonfly”) for local events. When your child is immunosuppressed they cannot be in large crowds of people. (Even more so in …
On May 16th, a 17-year old Dragonfly sibling spoke at our 6th Annual Golf Classic. Here is a copy of her speech: “My name is C and I am a junior at McAuley High School. 5 years ago when I was only 12 years old, and in the sixth grade my brother D became sick. He went to the doctor …
