Patient Stories

Reaping the benefits of an extraordinary medical breakthrough as a toddler, Daniel Erd had to suffer through months of misdiagnosis and life-threatening complications before triumphing over a rare cancer of the sympathetic nervous system known as neuroblastoma.

Caroline Watters's problems began almost from the moment she entered this world, in November 1999, when she was born premature and anemic. For the first two years of her life, she was in and out of doctors' offices, but no one could conclusively establish what was causing her dangerously low blood platelet counts. That all changed when she was diagnosed at the age of two with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Life as the White family knew it changed forever on November 14, 2005, the day their daughter Victoria, of Phoenix, Arizona, was diagnosed with Wilms' tumor. Having survived the day and its aftermath, which was marked by Victoria's courage and tenacious effervescence, they now consider November 14 their own Veterans Day.

At the age of 12, Heather survived chronic myelogenous leukemia thanks to a successful bone marrow transplant. A cancer recurrence nine years later dredged up all the old challenges and fears, but she again prevailed, leading to Heather's happy, healthy present, which includes two beautiful children.

Before Nate arrived at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, doctors gave the five-year-old sarcoma patient little chance of surviving, with amputation of his entire leg the only treatment choice.

A hero at age ten: Jackson's battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The inspirational story of Weldon's triumph over a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Perry's dramatic battle with trilateral retinoblastoma.

The remarkable story of Houston's experience with neuroblastoma.

Faigie's dramatic experience with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, told in her own words.

The inspiring story of Vanessa's experience with pediatric Hodgkin's disease.