For Ella Terrio, it had been a magical summer of 2019. There were so many adventures, including officially becoming a teenager! Beginning her high school career at Dennis-Yarmouth was on the horizon. Preseason volleyball had begun in earnest, and for the first time since kindergarten, she’d be at the same school with her big brother, Shea.
Double volleyball sessions, were indeed exhausting. Not only was she tired, she didn’t feel so great. Her mom took her to the pediatrician, thinking it might just be a a cold. Within days, Ella was admitted to Children’s Hospital in Boston for a 32 day induction with a diagnosis of
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
(A.L.L.)
Bombarded with medical terms and terrifying prospects, her journey was only beginning. She began chemotherapy immediately, with her signature quiet grace and fiercely competitive nature. Ella has always been a leader, always tackling challenges and opportunities with a level of confidence and enthusiasm serving as a model for her peers.
Ella's journey to health and survival has just begun. Her treatment plan will take a minimum of two years and involves intensive in-home care supervised by Children's Hospital and the VNA, multiple hospital visits, and inevitable inpatient stays. Just because Ella has the option to have some of her treatments at home does not mean she is cured.
Nobody plans for the expenses that insurance does not cover or things that just simply make things more bearable. Things like gas, overnight says, wigs, cravings for food not on the hospital menu, clothing to fit a a body that is showing the signs of battle, and who knows what else the next few years may bring.
