The Mt. Laurel Sun
At 5 years old, all children are excited about the opportunity to celebrate their birthday. For Adrianna Morse, she is most excited to celebrate a different kind of anniversary. This month marks five years of remission for Adrianna.
Born Sept. 26, 2007, Adrianna was just 3 months old when she was diagnosed with stage three neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer that most famously claimed the life of 8-year-old Alex Scott, the founder of Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Her mother, Sia Morse, remembers every bit of finding out about her daughter’s illness as if it were yesterday.
“It started with cold symptoms, the basic runny nose and cough. Initially, doctors dismissed it as a just a little bug, something that would pass,” she said.
But Adrianna’s condition remained the same for more than seven weeks. Since the symptoms had remained stagnant, her physician ordered a chest x-ray. The results were not at all what he expected.
“It was right after Christmas,” Sia remembers. “I drove to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia that night, right after meeting with our doctor. CHOP admitted her immediately.”
Doctors at CHOP took their own x-rays, and by New Year’s Eve, Adrianna was already in the operating room.
“Her first New Year’s was spent in the OR. It was every parent’s worst nightmare,” Sia said.
Because of an aggressive and specialized treatment process by Dr. John Maris and his team, Adrianna’s tumor was fully removed in May 2008. From there, she was moved into CHOP’s survivorship program. She still visits the hospital regularly, but the hope is that the worst is far behind the Morse family.
Adrianna is now a kindergarten student who loves cheerleading and is full of life as well as laughter, and her mother could not be more thankful.
“The reason she is here today is because of Children’s Hospital and because of Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Our goal is to do anything we can to give back,” Sia said.
This is not the first time the Morses have partnered with Alex’s Lemonade Stand. For her first birthday, they had a party that raised more than $2,000. The idea to hold another event for her fifth anniversary of remission was Adrianna’s.
“She wants to help the kids who are still sick and their families,” her mother says. “She’s excited to do this with all of her friends and family right there with her.”
Adrianna’s Alex’s Lemonade Stand event will take place Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Laurel Acres baseball fields, 1033 Union Mill Road. More information is available at www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/110692
