Four Diamonds helped a Bellefonte family through their daughter’s cancer. Now, they’re giving back
When their three-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, Kimberly and Nathan Wilson had heard of Four Diamonds, but didn’t know the extent of which it could help families. Now that their daughter is a cancer-free six year old, they want to give back to the organization that helped them through the toughest part of their lives.
They’re planning a fundraiser for next month aimed at helping other children in honor of their daughter, Kennedy, and Four Diamonds co-founder Charles Millard, who died Nov. 4 at age 93.
Kim and Nathan remember when Kennedy began complaining of headaches in the back of her head and experienced frequent vomiting. Though she went to the doctor a few times, they didn’t get any answers.
One warm Sunday in March 2019, the Wilson family spent the majority of the day outside. Kennedy was walking along a low rock wall in front of the Wilson’s house, acting like it was a balance beam. But she kept falling off, like she had no coordination, Kim recalled.
“I was like, something’s not right,” Kim said. That night, Kennedy experienced more vomiting. The next day, Kim brought her to the emergency room. While at the ER, Kim pushed for the doctors to do an MRI — that’s when they discovered a tumor on the back of Kennedy’s head.
They were transferred to Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital that day. First thing the next morning, Kennedy endured a 10-hour surgery to remove the tumor.
“They got it all, which is huge for the prognosis. I mean, at the time, I didn’t realize just how important that was when (the doctor) said ‘I got 100% of the tumor’ because I was still like barely there, I was in a whole different world. But now looking back, that changed her whole prognosis, the fact that the surgery got it all,” Kim said.
She had hydrocephalus, so the tumor was blocking fluid from draining to her spine, and needed a brain drain after surgery.
Had Kim not fought and advocated for her daughter to get an MRI, things could have been different. She said the doctors at Hershey told her if they waited another 24-48 hours, Kennedy could have been in a coma or worse.
“That’s one of the things I always advocate for too now ... you have to be the voice for your kids,” Kim said.
Medulloblastoma, though rare, is the most common type of cancerous brain tumor in children, according to the Mayo Clinic, and it’s very aggressive.
In turn, the treatment has to be aggressive.
“She had to have three rounds (of chemotherapy) and it was very, very intensive and aggressive,” Kim said. “Leukemia patients, they go in for their treatment and they go home, mostly. She had to be inpatient for the duration of the treatment, so we lived at Hershey from April until July. We came home for a couple days in between cycles if her counts were high enough.”
The impact of Four Diamonds
While getting treatment, Kennedy had some very bad days. It’s not always the cancer that causes tremendous pain, Kim said, but the treatment.
“That’s kind of where Four Diamonds came into play,” Kim said.
Four Diamonds’ mission is to “conquer childhood cancer by assisting kids treated at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and their families through superior care, comprehensive support and innovative research,” its website states. It provides “comprehensive support to children and their families by paying for cancer care and treatment not covered by insurance or other means, as well as additional expenses that disrupt the welfare of the child.” Four Diamonds, the beneficiary of Penn State’s Thon, covers 100% of all medical expenses related to cancer care not covered by insurance for eligible Four Diamonds children.
“I didn’t have family there a lot of the time. Then they told us about Four Diamonds and it wasn’t just the money. They have art therapy, they have music therapy, they have Child Life,” Kim said. “(Kennedy) wanted a Frozen puzzle, but I wasn’t going to leave. I didn’t have a car, I couldn’t leave. But she would basically tell Child Life and in an hour, she would have a Frozen puzzle.”
There was also Becky the Dog, a therapy dog that would visit patients.
“Becky was one of the first things that (Kennedy) connected with,” Kim said. “The dog could lay in the bed and ... she would wake up and ask when she would get her visit with Becky that day.”
Music therapy was very helpful as well, Kim said, as it helped work on Kennedy’s motor skills. Even though she was in the hospital during mostly summer months, Kennedy was all about Christmas. In art therapy, she would draw Christmas trees, Santa and Rudolph.
Giving back
Even though it was a rough time for Kennedy, her family believes it would have been even harder without Four Diamonds.
“I know her treatment ... would have been harder. Those were like her breaks from hard times. She didn’t have to worry about being poked or prodded or the doctors. ... She didn’t have to worry about all the scary stuff that was going to happen to her. And it was really the only time that she was happy,” Kim said.
Back home, the community helped the Wilson family as much as they could. Kim’s oldest sister created a GoFundMe, helped take care of Nathan and Kim’s older daughter, Kassidy, and a meal train was organized for the days between Kennedy’s surgery and start of treatment.
To start giving back, Kim is organizing a fundraiser for Four Diamonds from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12 at Axemann Brewery in Bellefonte. There’s no monetary admission, but they’re asking each person to bring a new, unwrapped toy for children who will be in the hospital during the Christmas season.
“They don’t have to be the fanciest toys because they’re just happy to get something. I just can’t imagine. The biggest holiday we had (in the hospital) was the Fourth of July and she was really sad. I remember looking out the hospital windows, seeing the fireworks and I can’t even wake her up to watch. And that is not even comparable to Christmas,” Kim said.
Attendees will have the opportunity to win a signed Pittsburgh Steelers photo, a Penn State football and mini-helmet signed by head coach James Franklin, signed Penn State gymnastics gear, a signed Penn State soccer poster, a 50/50 raffle, a balloon raffle and gift baskets from local businesses. While there, attendees can expect guest appearances and autographs from the Penn State women’s gymnastics team, play cornhole and other games and browse a bake sale.
A unique touch to the fundraiser is a card making station, where people can make holiday cards for children in the hospital.
Raising awareness for childhood cancer in general is part of their mission, too. Kim hopes people support organizations like Four Diamonds and continue community support now, rather than after something tragic happens. Life changes fast as soon as “childhood cancer” comes out of the doctor’s mouth, she said.
People can RSVP to the fundraiser event on Facebook by searching “Four Diamonds Fundraiser - Kennedy’s Crusader’s.” Those who cannot attend the event but still want to support it can donate online by visiting https://playforthekids.donordrive.com and searching “Kennedy’s Crusader’s.”
This story was originally published November 25, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
