30 Jan A clinical trial gives Scarlett hope
Scarlett was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at just 2½ years old. While ALL is the most common form of childhood cancer and highly treatable, the type Scarlett has — Philadelphia chromosome B cell ALL — is a rare genetic mutation. Even with the most aggressive treatment, it was likely Scarlett’s cancer would return. And it did.
The pediatric cancer specialists at UW Health Kids American Family Children’s Hospital are part of a national research team that combines two scientific fields — genomics and immunotherapy — in search of cures for the most hard-to-treat cancers. Scarlett is now enrolled in a Phase One clinical trial for a promising new treatment that is offered only at the University of Wisconsin. For her family and care team, it represents real hope for a cure.
The only telltale sign of Scarlett’s nearly seven-year journey at American Family Children’s Hospital is her bald head — which she covers with a bedazzled cap accented with sparkly earrings that match her personality. She’s outgoing, a 9-year-old dynamo who charms everyone and walks through the hospital with a big smile and unexpected ease despite everything she’s experienced in her young life. Read more…