On April 17, 2010, Tara’s family received news that their little 5 1/2 year old
daughter, the “middle” identical triplet, had what appeared to be a mass in her
tummy. She’d had no symptoms, and was her usual high-energy and cheerful
self, but during the week her mommy, Shawna, had become concerned that she
might be having a minor digestive problem. Tests on Thursday April 15 were
followed by additional tests on the afternoon of the 17th, and the initial suspicion
was cancer. By that evening, she was on her way to Children’s Hospital of
Wisconsin, in Milwaukee. (spoiler alert ... scroll down for great news)
On the 19th, she underwent biopsies. By the 21st, it was confirmed that she
had rhabdomyosarcoma, a very fast-growing cancer, in her tummy. An initial 5-
day round of chemo began on April 23. Her response was rapid and amazing!
She had another treatment on April 30, and was then SENT HOME!
Throughout the summer, she continued on a once-per-week chemo regimen in
Milwaukee, with several five-day courses of treatment, mostly administered at
home. She continued to be her active, funny self, keeping up with her two
sisters in things like bike riding, swimming, and even soccer camp. In late July,
her doctors did surgery to remove what little remained of the tumors. Four days
later, she was home, and she recuperated quickly. She then went through a
month of radiation, and tolerated that amazingly well, too. She continued with
weekly chemo until March 2011. Her strength and resilience are remarkable.
Prior to Tara’s diagnosis, the family had been preparing for a mid-May move to
Colorado ... where daddy Scott had started a new job on April 1 ... he’s a major
in the US Air Force. He was able to split his time between Denver and Kohler all
summer. Friends, family, and the community mounted a big effort to help keep
things as normal as possible for Tara’s two brothers, ages 10 and 8, and her two
identical sisters. Tara’s continued treatment became a relatively predictable
chemo regimen, and they were able to make their move to Colorado in early
November. The handoff to Colorado Children’s Hospital went smoothly.
Read summer 2011 update at left ... we’re so pleased!
Shawna has created both a CaringBridge site and a personal blog, providing
updates on Tara’s progress, photos, etc. Shawna’s a gifted writer, and her
journal on both of these websites makes compelling reading. Links above.
Made with Xara
Tara finished her chemo in March 2011, and followup CAT
monthly CAT scans have been clean. She had her port
removed in June, and is back to just being a regular kid!
You can read more about Tara, her family, and their
journey through the past year via her mom’s blog at
www.princesstara.net (button above). You’ll also find
photos and link to Tara’s CaringBridge site.
Tara likes
orange &
pink ... and
cats, dogs,
pigs, squirrels,
mac & cheese,
clam chowder,
pudding, ham
sandwiches,
Mamma Mia,
& SpongeBob.
Tara is
a singer,
a dancer,
a gymnast,
a swimmer, &
a sweetheart!
May 16, 2010
Support Research
Everyone knows a person or family touched by cancer ... most of us know many.
Yet, until it hits very close to home, we don’t fully appreciate how critical it is that
this fight be continued ... and how important funding is to research. We’ll be
listing some organizations here. We’ll continue to urge folks to support cancer
research ... Tara’s family suggests CureSearch ... www.curesearch.org
Support Families
There are cancer support organizations in every community that provide all
kinds of help to families dealing with cancer. We urge you to support them!
Summer 2011 Update!
On April 17, 2010, Tara’s family received news that their little 5 1/2 year old
daughter, the “middle” identical triplet, had what appeared to be a mass in her
tummy. She’d had no symptoms, and was her usual high-energy and cheerful
self, but during the week her mommy, Shawna, had become concerned that she
might be having a minor digestive problem. Tests on Thursday April 15 were
followed by additional tests on the afternoon of the 17th, and the initial suspicion
was cancer. By that evening, she was on her way to Children’s Hospital of
Wisconsin, in Milwaukee. (spoiler alert ... scroll down for great news)
On the 19th, she underwent biopsies. By the 21st, it was confirmed that she
had rhabdomyosarcoma, a very fast-growing cancer, in her tummy. An initial 5-
day round of chemo began on April 23. Her response was rapid and amazing!
She had another treatment on April 30, and was then SENT HOME!
Throughout the summer, she continued on a once-per-week chemo regimen in
Milwaukee, with several five-day courses of treatment, mostly administered at
home. She continued to be her active, funny self, keeping up with her two
sisters in things like bike riding, swimming, and even soccer camp. In late July,
her doctors did surgery to remove what little remained of the tumors. Four days
later, she was home, and she recuperated quickly. She then went through a
month of radiation, and tolerated that amazingly well, too. She continued with
weekly chemo until March 2011. Her strength and resilience are remarkable.
Prior to Tara’s diagnosis, the family had been preparing for a mid-May move to
Colorado ... where daddy Scott had started a new job on April 1 ... he’s a major
in the US Air Force. He was able to split his time between Denver and Kohler all
summer. Friends, family, and the community mounted a big effort to help keep
things as normal as possible for Tara’s two brothers, ages 10 and 8, and her two
identical sisters. Tara’s continued treatment became a relatively predictable
chemo regimen, and they were able to make their move to Colorado in early
November. The handoff to Colorado Children’s Hospital went smoothly.
Read summer 2011 update at left ... we’re so pleased!
Shawna has created both a CaringBridge site and a personal blog, providing
updates on Tara’s progress, photos, etc. Shawna’s a gifted writer, and her
journal on both of these websites makes compelling reading. Links above.
