In September 2020, Amelia Bradford turned eight months old. Her family loved their fun, wiggly, and happy baby. But then Amelia’s mother Danielle noticed something concerning: a facial bruise around Amelia’s eye. In an article for SurvivorNet, Danielle shared that she originally thought Amelia must have just bumped her head. Then other symptoms appeared, like drifting eyes. When Amelia’s parents took her to the hospital, they received a shocking diagnosis: stage 4 neuroblastoma. 

Of course, Amelia’s parents were shocked! Even though the symptoms had been concerning, her parents never thought that their daughter would be undergoing cancer treatments at such a young age. 

Luckily, Amelia’s doctors were ready to jump into treatment right away, Danielle writes. In addition to multiple rounds of chemotherapy, Amelia underwent several blood transfusions. Just one year after her diagnosis, doctors determined that Amelia was in remission. 

Now, the Bradford family is committed to raising awareness of neuroblastoma and other childhood cancers. Additionally, the family wants to help others going through this same process. To help, the Bradfords began an annual blood drive. This will help collect blood to be given to those in need of transfusions. Ultimately, the family is hopeful about Amelia’s future. 

Learn more about Amelia and her journey through neuroblastoma treatment over at SurvivorNet.

About Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a rare form of cancer which begins in immature nerve cells called neuroblasts. Most commonly, neuroblastoma forms in the adrenal glands, though it can form in other areas. This cancer may also metastasize to other areas of the body, such as the liver, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. In most cases, neuroblastoma affects children aged five or younger. While this cancer can occur in older children, these cases are much more rare. Symptoms of neuroblastoma vary based on the location of the cancer. However, potential symptoms can include:

• A lump in the abdomen, neck, or chest
• Eyes that bulge out of the sockets
• Bone pain
• Unintended weight loss
• Fever
• Changes in bowel habits
• Back pain
• Abdominal distention (in infants)
• Difficulty breathing (in infants)
• Dark circles around the eyes
• Painless, bluish lumps under the skin (in infants)
• Inability to move a body part

Learn more about neuroblastoma.