Past Contest Winners

Past Contest Winners... "The Creative Writing Contest" winners here. "The Courage Contest" winners here. "When I Grow Up" winners here.

"The Courage Contest"

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Samantha Perrone
Age 3
Acute Lyphblastic Leukemia
Favorites: Mac & Cheese, yellow and pink, goldfish crackers, swinging outside, her baby sister Amanda and cousin Tristan.

"I started out really scared at the hospital but learned some tricks to help me which can help others also. Blood pressures now are just hugs from the nurses, and needles are just pinches of love so the nurses can help me. It used to take 4 nurses to hold me down and now no one does. I have 2 ½ years years left of treatments but I am no longer scared of it. I know I am special and lots of people love me. When I grow up I will be a doc also and help other kids like me. Thank you."

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Mason Embrey (above with brother Ryan)
Age 7
Leukemia
Favorites: blue, steak, fruit, bike riding, swimming, building with legos

"During one stage of my treatment I had to get a shot in the muscle of my leg for six days. It hurt a lot, but I was brave and got through them all. My Mom and Dad said that I was couragous. Now I try to help other kids when they have to get their shots."

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Riky Mlodzik
Age 8
Undifferentiated Embryonal Sarcoma
Favorites: apple pie, bowling, motorcycle rides w/ dad, movies and french fries with ketchup and mayo.

"My name is Riky and not only have I had half of my liver removed from my cancer, I also have an unusual disorder called ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. Along with my chemo, I also have to watch what I eat because I could go into a coma from too much protein which turns into ammonia. I am trying really hard not to get sick and vomit from my chemo because then my levels elevate and my body will get in real trouble. I'm being real strong. My dad and mom say I'm the leader in all this mess and they are all my soldiers."

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Brianna Howard
Age 3
A.L.L.
Favorites: pepperoni pizza, purple, Barbies, singing, reading, painting and drawing

Brianna says thank you to the nurses when they give her a needle. She still found her smile after pancreatitis, blood clots in her leg and three months twice daily shots.

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Rachel Workman
Age 11
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

They could not treat my kind of cancer with chemo so I had a bone marrow transplant. I was in the hospital for 4 ½ weeks and I had to stay in the Ronald McDonald House in a special apartment for 1 ½ weeks and if I wanted to go somewhere I had to wear a mask for 9 months because I am BCR Abel+ again. I am waiting for blood tests to come back.