Believe in Faith, Hope, and Love

5 year old Ava dreams of being a Doctor someday

Leukemia, a word too heavy for her young years, has entered our daughter's, five year old Ava's, life, yet it hasn't dimmed the bright spark within her. While other children her age might dream of being princesses or superheroes, Ava’s aspirations lie within the very place that is currently her battlefield: The hospital. Ava proudly declares for all to know that she wants to be a doctor when she grows up. Her fascination isn't born of a naive understanding of the profession. Ava has witnessed firsthand the dedication, the gentle touch, the compassion, and the knowledge that both her doctors and nurses wield. She sees them as healers, as beacons of hope in a world that has suddenly become more complicated. She has warmed all of her incredible doctors’, nurses’, and staff members’ hearts with her positivity, curiosity, questions, intelligence, and joy. During her treatments, while tiny tubes deliver life-saving medicine through her port, Ava observes with keen interest. She asks thoughtful questions, and she listens intently as one of her doctors explains an upcoming procedure. She enjoys learning the new medical terms, and she memorizes the names of her medications, sometimes even quizzing us to our amusement. The stethoscope around a doctor's neck isn't a scary instrument to her; it's a symbol of the power to make people feel better. If you saw our beautiful, brave, and strong Ava in person, then you would almost forget the war that her little body is fighting. It is a testament to children and their resilience. She truly is an inspiration to us every day, and we are amazed by her. Her fight against Leukemia has taught us so much about what truly matters. We cherish each beautiful, precious moment together. We find joy in the small things which are actually the big things. Since her diagnosis, Ava has shown incredible courage and strength as she has gone through her treatments so far: Getting chemotherapy, taking various medications, sedations, bone marrow biopsies, intrathecal chemo by lumbar punctures, blood draws, blood transfusions, platelet transfusions, etc. She continues to face everything with such bravery and grace. At just five years old, Ava has amazed us with her inner strength. Her spirit remains incredibly bright and spunky despite the difficult challenges.

We know that we have a long road ahead, but we remain hopeful that our sweet, silly, and smart Ava will beat this. Ava’s journey is a powerful reminder to us that even in the face of adversity, dreams can blossom, fueled by hope for her future and her unwavering, positive spirit. Loving words shared by Ava's Mom, Kayla

Megan's Wings helps this precious family with gas assistance. They live 77 miles from Ava's Treatment Hospital and must travel 4 times per week 144 miles round trip for appointments. Donors who support Megan's Wings help Ava and other children, like her, get to life-saving treatment far from home.💙