Hello! My name is Taylor Roma O'Brien. I was born in downtown Chicago on August 16, 2012. I am one happy little girl. My Mommy and Daddy say I’m the most mild-mannered baby that anyone could hope for. I love people (thanks to Mommy) and I’m very clever (thanks to Daddy). Because I’m so special, Mommy and Daddy found a new house for me in Louisville in February 2013. They thought I would have more fun playing in the Kentucky sun!
I love my kitties (or "ditties" as I like to say), Herman and Molly. I’m a big fan of music. Singing and dancing are the best. My favorite songs to sing are “The Hot Dog Song,” “Get Back” by the Beatles and other classics like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Daddy has instructed me on having good taste in music, so naturally I like listening to rock n’ roll. My favorites are the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Queens of the Stone Age – the louder the better!
I had a big party and ate lots of cake in August 2013. All of my family came, Mommy and Daddy put up a big tent and everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to me! I got a bad cough around that time and had to keep going to my doctor’s office. I didn’t mind because my doctor, Dr. Russell, and her nurses are so nice! After a couple of weeks, Dr. Russell couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me so she sent me to get a special picture of my lungs. That’s when all of this started…
I haven’t been able to go to school or play with my cousins or play with my friends or go to the zoo or have my Aunt Nicole’s puppy come over and play because Mommy and Daddy say it’s very important to stay germ-free (whatever that means). I had to spend some nights in the cool hotel in Downtown Louisville where people wait on me all day and night. Sometimes it’s scary when they take me away for special pictures, but my nurses and doctors always are playing with me and make me feel ok. Everyone tells me that I’m a brave little girl and I will be all-better soon. I can’t wait!
In the meantime, I’ve made a lot of new friends at clinic – all the people in white and red take such good care of me. And all of the other kids are really nice! I really wish I could dance for 18 hours! It sounds like so much fun, but Mommy and Daddy would probably make me stop take a stupid nap and drink my stupid bottle…
Thank you guys for helping all of my new friends and I. It means so much to me that you’ve taken so much of your free time to help my friends and I!
Your new friend,
Taylor Roma
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Taylor was diagnosed with neuroblastoma on Friday, September 20, 2013. Due to the diligence of her mommy, Gina, and her pediatrician, Dr. Russell, Taylor's condition was caught early. It’s been a tough year, but her prognosis is very good and her doctors expect that she will live a long, happy and normal life.
Neuroblastoma is a rare (around 600 cases per year in the US) of pediatric cancer that forms around nerve endings. It is a genetic mutation and is not caused by environmental factors/behaviors nor is it hereditary. Neuroblastoma can be very aggressive, but fortunately Taylor has the less-aggressive form of the disease.
Taylor received 5 cycles of chemotherapy and underwent successful surgery to remove her tumor. The tumor was fairly large (about 7 centimeters in diameter) and was at the apex of her right lung.
Taylor is our little rock star. Throughout this journey she’s learned to walk, learned to talk, eat with utensils, she’s grown significantly (which we were told not to expect) and we fall in love just a little bit more every day. Taylor endured her treatments and surgery with grace. She always has a smile and a laugh for her doctors and nurses. Never once has she shown signs of being depressed or feeling sorry for herself (not that a 2-year-old child exhibits these behaviors). Taylor has fought cancer by being a normal kid – and we are so proud of her for that.
We want to sincerely thank the raiseRED team and the University of Louisville for all of your support and wonderful care!
Jeff, Gina and Taylor O’Brien
I love my kitties (or "ditties" as I like to say), Herman and Molly. I’m a big fan of music. Singing and dancing are the best. My favorite songs to sing are “The Hot Dog Song,” “Get Back” by the Beatles and other classics like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Daddy has instructed me on having good taste in music, so naturally I like listening to rock n’ roll. My favorites are the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Queens of the Stone Age – the louder the better!
I had a big party and ate lots of cake in August 2013. All of my family came, Mommy and Daddy put up a big tent and everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to me! I got a bad cough around that time and had to keep going to my doctor’s office. I didn’t mind because my doctor, Dr. Russell, and her nurses are so nice! After a couple of weeks, Dr. Russell couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me so she sent me to get a special picture of my lungs. That’s when all of this started…
I haven’t been able to go to school or play with my cousins or play with my friends or go to the zoo or have my Aunt Nicole’s puppy come over and play because Mommy and Daddy say it’s very important to stay germ-free (whatever that means). I had to spend some nights in the cool hotel in Downtown Louisville where people wait on me all day and night. Sometimes it’s scary when they take me away for special pictures, but my nurses and doctors always are playing with me and make me feel ok. Everyone tells me that I’m a brave little girl and I will be all-better soon. I can’t wait!
In the meantime, I’ve made a lot of new friends at clinic – all the people in white and red take such good care of me. And all of the other kids are really nice! I really wish I could dance for 18 hours! It sounds like so much fun, but Mommy and Daddy would probably make me stop take a stupid nap and drink my stupid bottle…
Thank you guys for helping all of my new friends and I. It means so much to me that you’ve taken so much of your free time to help my friends and I!
Your new friend,
Taylor Roma
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taylor was diagnosed with neuroblastoma on Friday, September 20, 2013. Due to the diligence of her mommy, Gina, and her pediatrician, Dr. Russell, Taylor's condition was caught early. It’s been a tough year, but her prognosis is very good and her doctors expect that she will live a long, happy and normal life.
Neuroblastoma is a rare (around 600 cases per year in the US) of pediatric cancer that forms around nerve endings. It is a genetic mutation and is not caused by environmental factors/behaviors nor is it hereditary. Neuroblastoma can be very aggressive, but fortunately Taylor has the less-aggressive form of the disease.
Taylor received 5 cycles of chemotherapy and underwent successful surgery to remove her tumor. The tumor was fairly large (about 7 centimeters in diameter) and was at the apex of her right lung.
Taylor is our little rock star. Throughout this journey she’s learned to walk, learned to talk, eat with utensils, she’s grown significantly (which we were told not to expect) and we fall in love just a little bit more every day. Taylor endured her treatments and surgery with grace. She always has a smile and a laugh for her doctors and nurses. Never once has she shown signs of being depressed or feeling sorry for herself (not that a 2-year-old child exhibits these behaviors). Taylor has fought cancer by being a normal kid – and we are so proud of her for that.
We want to sincerely thank the raiseRED team and the University of Louisville for all of your support and wonderful care!
Jeff, Gina and Taylor O’Brien