Patient Story: Natalia
Three-year-old Natalia was not her usually high-spirited self. She seemed lethargic, as if she had a cold or the flu. Her pediatrician felt it was probably viral and was not concerned. But one morning Natalia woke up with one side of her face drooping. She had Bell’s Palsy, a compression of the facial nerve that can be caused by infection.
At the emergency department of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Natalia was tested for Lyme disease, which can cause Bell’s Palsy, but her blood work instead showed that she had full-blown, high-risk acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). She was also very sick with pneumonia.
Immediately, Natalia was admitted to the hospital, where she would remain for three weeks. Her oncologist, Rita Meek, MD, began chemotherapy two days later. “It was so hard.” remembers her mother Denni. “I can still see my husband standing by the window crying as the rain poured down outside and he signed all the papers allowing them to treat Natalia. It was difficult to feel hopeful at that moment.”
The family had a new baby, Nicholas. “I begged and pleaded that he be allowed to stay with me in Natalia’s room,” says Denni. “I was still nursing Nicholas and when my daughter woke up, she always wanted to see ‘her baby’.”
“The next few months were a roller coaster ride,” says Denni. “We were at the hospital three days a week for chemo and testing. Her immune system was depressed and she had to go on steroids.” Natalia continued treatment, mostly as an outpatient, for the next two-and-a-half years until she was pronounced free of cancer.
“Sometimes I look back and cannot believe we got through this experience,” remarks Denni. “I give a lot of credit to the nurses for taking such good care of my daughter and to Child Life for keeping her occupied and less anxious.”
“Dr. Meek is very special—in fact, phenomenal. I think of her as so much more than a doctor. She participates in the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and the Breast Cancer Walk, is a wonderful baker, and travels all over,” says Denni. “I cannot say enough. She really cares about her patients and has become a good friend.”
Happily, Natalia made a full recovery from leukemia. At fourteen, she is a big sister to Nicholas, now 10, Cross, 9, and Ava, 6. Because she has some learning differences due to side effects from the chemotherapy, Natalia attends The College School at the University of Delaware where she benefits from the small class size.
Natalia holds a black belt in Tae Kwan Do karate and plays lacrosse. She loves to swim, dance and go shopping with her friends—all the usual teenage stuff. Her mother is the founder of Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware, which raises money to help find a cure and better treatments for the disease.
“Leukemia isn’t a very big part of my life anymore,” says Natalia. “I try not to think about how it might have turned out and focus on the future.” She loves to work with children and would like to be a teacher or perhaps a doctor.
