Winter Garden Magazine September 2018 | Page 27

Dakota Wright Dakota was diagnosed at 3 years old with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on Easter Sunday April 16, 2017. It all started with what we thought was a simple ear infection that turned out to be much more. She began to bruise easily and before we made it to her doctor appointment her nose began to bleed. We rushed her to the emergency room where they confirmed our sweet girl had leukemia. Dakota has endured intense chemotherapy treatment and started long term Maintenance in December of 2017 where she will continue until June 2019. Dakota remains her sassy and spunky self throughout her diagnosis. She has shown so much strength and grit at her young age and is an inspiration to everyone who meets her. Some of her favorite things are her two doggies, dancing and singing along to music and going to Disney with her family. She aspires to be a veterinarian when she grows up. Childhood cancer awareness is so important and necessary because government funding for childhood cancers is less than 4% and our children fighting deserve so much more. I strongly believe us adults have a responsibility to step up and become our children’s advocates. Being a cancer warrior parent is not easy and I hope that one day no child has to go though harsh cancer treatments. Bringing awareness and raising money for better research is just one way of helping and we can’t do that without the help of our community. SEPTEMBER 2018 | WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE |   27