Meet Hannah, a 17 year old acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivor! Hannah is a childhood cancer advocate and helps raise awareness and money through her nonprofit called “Even Mermaids Get Leukemia.” 
At 13 years old, Hannah was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Hannah was participating in a musical and felt extremely tired which was not out of the ordinary because rehearsals ran for a long time. One day, she came down with a fever and went to the school nurse’s office. Her pediatrician initially thought it was a virus going round and sent her back to school for the rest of the week. After going back to the nurse, it was suspected that she had mono and advised Hannah to go back to the doctor. When blood was taken, her platelets were very low which prompted the doctor to send Hannah to the hospital.
Treatment began almost immediately after her diagnosis of ALL. Hannah remembers, “once diagnosed with ALL, I went through the induction phase and then I was given a bone marrow test to indicate whether I needed a transplant or not, thankfully I didn’t. I went on to face two and a half years of chemotherapy.The most difficult chemotherapy I had to take was methotrexate. My body had an adverse reaction of sores in my mouth and down my gi tract. The sores made it unbearable to eat or drink and the doctors had to place a feeding tube due to the sores. I was given vitamin k intravenously on Valentine’s Day 2017. The vitamin k sent me into anaphylactic shock and as a result I was placed in the ICU for the next week. Ever since that day my family and I vowed to never take life for granted.” 
After going through chemotherapy, Hannah started a nonprofit called, “Even Mermaids Get Leukemia.” Her mission was to help children who are undergoing treatment to feel like kids again! Hannah has a Youtube channel where she shows what it’s like to be a cancer patient.
Hannah has been busy advocating for childhood cancer by helping organize a blood drive and raising money and awareness.
Hannah participated in the “Circle Up” series by reading an excerpt from “Chemo, Craziness and Comfort.”
We also ran her survivor story here: https://www.acco.org/hannahs-survivor-story/
Learn more about ALL: https://www.acco.org/blog/what-are-the-signs-and-symptoms-of-childhood-leukemia-cancer/
Together, we can make a difference.
Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.
