Back in Business
- 9-year-old cancer warrior and record-holding Girl Scout Cookie-seller Lilly Bumpus is back at school after two years, and her mom Trish Bauer is overjoyed at how far she’s come.
- Trish gave the fun update on her daughter’s Instagram page that she manages, and displayed some beautiful photos of the mother-daughter duo on a recent trip to Hawaii.
- Ewing sarcoma, the cancer that Lilly battled at birth, is a rare type of bone cancer that is often found in children and young adults. Symptoms to look out for include bone pain, fevers, unexplained tiredness, a bone that breaks for no known reason, or a lump in the arms, legs, chest or pelvis.
“The whole world knows that feeling now because of covid and I hope each person chooses to carry it in their hearts forever. I think about 2 years ago when Lilly was bullied for wearing a mask because no one knew what they were or what fighting for health looked like,” she said. “Health and freedom isn't free. It's fought for and days like today….this is winning!!”
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The mother-daughter duo were just in Hawaii soaking up the sun prior to heading back to school and Lilly enjoyed playing in the sand, snorkeling, hiking to a waterfall, and going to her first luau. “The Luau is all this little Lilo dreamed it would be,” Trish wrote.
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Lilly also just celebrated her ninth birthday two weeks ago. Trish reflected on how far the little girl has come.
“This year I've seen her accomplish so many amazing things from making national records, to being on @theellenshow, being the best flower girl ever for me, the luckiest mommy ever to feeding THOUSANDS of homeless people, fostering over 30 kittens, and helping so many fellow childhood cancer warriors and fighting families.”
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She went on to say that even though her daughter “has been handed some new health concerns and has endured loss and heartbreak she doesn't let it change her heart. She doesn't let it stop her from doing what she believes is right.”
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Lilly’s Battle with Ewing Sarcoma
Lilly was born with Ewing sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer that is often found in children and young adults. Symptoms of Ewing sarcoma include bone pain, fevers with no known cause, unexplained tiredness, a bone that breaks for no known reason, or a lump in the arms, legs, chest or pelvis. This condition can be treated with chemotherapy and the removal of bones, both treatments Lilly underwent before her first birthday.
When doctors diagnosed Lilly with Ewing sarcoma at birth, "She had a fever of 106 for over an hour," her mom Trish recalled to SurvivorNet in a previous interview. Lilly went through intense rounds of chemotherapy and had some of her bones removed from her chest wall. The treatments were successful.
Prognosis and treatment depend on certain factors, such as whether the cancer has spread, whether it began in the bones or soft tissues, and the tumor's size at the time of diagnosis. If caught early, in a localized stage, the five-year survival rate for Ewing sarcoma is around 83%, according to the American Cancer Society.
Lilly has had some abnormal bone growth due to some side effects from the chemotherapy, but that does not stop her from enjoying activities like roller skating with her mom. "It's the best gift in life I will ever be given is watching her live life," Trish said. "So, whatever the world can bring at us, I know we're going to take it on."
Lilly has now been in remission for eight years. Go Lilly!
The Impact of a Childhood Cancer Diagnosis on the Whole Family
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