In 2012, Jai was diagnosed with Anaplastic Wilms Tumor, the most common type of kidney cancer in children (ACS, 2016). Thankfully, she had an excellent prognosis and a truly resilient spirit (most kids do!) and is thriving today. I've had the pleasure of spending time with Jai's family and documenting their experience since she was in treatment . Kristina, Jai's mom is an exceptional woman. While her husband was in the Army Reserves, she was taking care of Jai, while also raising an infant turned toddler.
Over 13,500 kids will be diagnosed with cancer in the next 365 days. Cancer kills more than 2,500 children in the U.S. each year. Our taxpayer-funded National Cancer Institute (NCI) only allocates 4% percent of its annual budget to childhood cancer. Please speak up and donate if you can. Here's one way to get involved.
Jai & Koko
They weren't feeling well
Shaved in solidarity, with a diagnoses date tattoo
(and end of treatment celebration)
3 years post-treatment, Jai told me she needed to find a hat or hair for this Lego mini-fig so she wouldn't be bald.