Kylie was called “Smiley Kylie” not because of the easy rhyme, but because it described her to the core. Her big, beautiful smile and warm hugs were impossible to beat. She was welcoming to everyone, especially if they looked lonely, and, above all else, she was joyful. She sang loudly, shared openly, and loved hard. Even as the youngest of four, she appointed herself the peacemaker, holding us together. She was full of creativity, be it through her artwork or performances. With such an eye-catching personality, it’s no surprise Kylie was drawn to the stage, and she was good at it. Her presence and charisma helped her stand out from even the older kids, and she was perfectly at home in front of a crowd.
In March 2014, Kylie began experiencing knee pain, which eventually led to her diagnosis of metastatic Ewing sarcoma. As terrifying as those words were to hear, Kylie didn’t let them hold her back. True to form, she met the news by looking for a positive side to the distinctly negative situation, announcing, “God must have a really big plan for me.”
Her treatment was brutal. For 10 months, she went through chemo, radiation, and the horrific side effects that accompany the treatment. Kylie lost her hair, the ability to walk, and so much more, but never her joy. She cut her hair in silly ways before shaving it off, made goofy videos, mischievously convinced her mother to let her sisters cut school to play with her, and wormed her way into getting not one, but two cats. Even when the spreading cancer in her jaw made it hurt to speak, Kylie typed out messages to bring moments of levity to the hard time. She became an advocate for children with cancer, encouraging younger kids on the same path while she was still in the midst of her treatment. Throughout all the pain, Kylie demonstrated that her joy was not dependent on her circumstances.
In February 2015, just as her treatment was supposed to be ending, we received the news that the cancer had spread. In a few short days, Kylie passed away, but along with her legacy, she left behind a mission: to continue fighting childhood cancer so that no one else had to face the pain she did. While we desperately miss her and all the joy she exuded, we honor her wish, and as September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we ask for your help in our goal of ending childhood cancer. Kylie put it most clearly when she said, “I think cancer should die, not the kids.”
