SAN ANTONIO – September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and one local family is spreading awareness through their newest addition.
Amauri and Katie Martinez already have a three-year-old son, and in late July, they welcomed a brand-new daughter, Penelope.
Just as they were getting settled in, it was Penelope’s grandmother who noticed something wasn’t right.
“So, she was about three weeks old, and you’re just tired, you know. We already have one, we have a newborn, and we’re trying to remember all the stuff,” recalls Penelope’s mother, Katie. “My mom noticed her left foot was like a drop foot, like it just wouldn’t do anything.”
A trip to the pediatrician, referrals to orthopedics and neurology, then physical therapy, a sonogram and finally an MRI confirmed the diagnosis and the family’s worst fears. “
It’s actually a mass in her abdomen, and that’s what’s pushing on her spine, and that is when our entire world just shifted at that point,” Amauri said.
At barely four weeks old, Penelope was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects mainly children and forms in the nerve tissue.
“There’s about a little under 700 new cases every year, and it’s the most common extracranial solid tumor that we see in infants,” said Dr. Ricky Rodriguez, an oncologist at CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital.
So far, Penelope has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy and will continue treatment every three weeks.
According to Dr. Rodriguez, the overall survival rate for intermediate-risk Neuroblastoma is over 90%. For those that present with spinal compression, as in Penelope’s case, some studies show up to 73% of patients will go on to have complete resolution.
An additional scan in October will determine how well she is responding to the chemo. In the meantime, the Martinezes are trying to stay strong.
“I think as a mother, address these little miracles. And she still is,” Katie said. “Both of our kids and their strength give a lot of strength to us. I think as a mother and as a parent, you always want to be everything for your kids. It’s really hard.”
According to Dr. Rodriguez, after unintentional injuries, pediatric cancer is the leading cause of death in children. As for symptoms of Neuroblastoma, experts say belly pain or a lump under the skin are among the signs to seek medical attention.
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