Averyana Monroe’s remission from leukemia for the third time is good news. But it brings a certain pain because her twin sister, Adriana, is not there to celebrate.
TOLEDO, Ohio — For Averyana and Jenny Monroe, Averyana’s leukemia going into remission for the third time was the treasured good news. But it brings some pain because her identical twin sister, Adriana, isn’t celebrating with them.
“Sunday is Adriana’s six-year-old, so this week,” Jenny said. “From our birthday to October 2. These 11 days are always very difficult.”
Both Adriana and Averiana battled AML, a rare form of cancer, at two years old. While Adriana is gone, she will never be forgotten, her family said.
“(Averiana) always says she doesn’t want to grow up, she doesn’t want to turn 10, and I was like, ‘You want to turn 10 … you want to turn 13 and 16 and you want to turn all the numbers, not only for yourself, you want to do it for Sissy because she couldn’t do it,” Jenny said.
So on the twins’ 9th birthday, in addition to the fun with the Disney characters who helped celebrate the day, there was something special to honor Adriana and all the children who died of cancer: floating lanterns to light and let rise.
As for the family’s long battle with cancer, Jenny hopes the treatment will be over in time to celebrate another special holiday.
“We can finish the treatment by the end of this year,” she said. “It would be the most spectacular Christmas present ever.”
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https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/good-news/childhood-cancer-leukemia-monroe-family-remission/512-47e685ef-0614-457a-86ae-dee803ed8039
