Oct 9, 2007 10:28 pm US/Eastern
Young Cancer Survivor Reaches Out To Help Others
by Lisa Hughes
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
She's a 6 year old who's been through more than most adults because she had ovarian cancer.
That's right, a 6 year old with ovarian cancer, which is extremely rare. She's doing well right now, and in her own way, she's helping others with the disease. You might have seen her because she's featured in a television spot for a local group called Ovations for the Cure.
The spot shows two Boston area women, one in her 60s, the other in her thirties, along with six-year-old Maddie Kullen, from Easton. The point of the spot is to show that ovarian cancer can strike at any age, and to ask for support in defeating the disease that kills thousands every year. WBZ's Lisa Hughes met Maddie as she got off her school bus after a day in first grade.
"You have had quite a year," Lisa said.
"Yeah," said Maddie.
Before her diagnosis, Maddie had never heard of ovarian cancer.
"You just knew that you didn't feel very good," Lisa said.
"Yup," Maddie said.
"What happened then?" Lisa asked.
"Hospital!" Maddie said.
Maddie had surgery at Children's Hospital Boston to remove a 6-inch tumor, followed by 16 weeks of chemotherapy.
"Did you feel OK or did you feel kind of yucky?" asked Lisa.
"Kind of yucky," Maddie replied. "And the weird thing is, when I was in the hospital I didn't eat at all. I didn't feel like eating."
Her treatments are finally over, and Maddie is now cancer-free.
"When you got out of the hospital what was the first thing you wanted to eat?" Lisa asked.
"Well guess what? Now that the chemo is done I eat a lot!" Maddie said.
And as much as a 6 year old can, she's helping fight the disease. She appeared on the CBS Early Show with a group from Ovations for the Cure, she was part of the Jimmy Fund walk, and she came up with an idea to give young cancer patients at Children's Hospital Boston an ice cream break. It's called "Sundaes on Saturday." The money came from a number of fundraisers her family organized.
"What do you hope the money will eventually do," Lisa asked.
"Help people with cancer," Maddie said.
Maddie's mother, Stephenie, says Maddie has an understanding beyond her years.
"She said, 'Mom, everybody heard about ovarian cancer,'" Stephanie said. "She totally gets that."
"Do you think she's making a difference?" Lisa asked.
"I know she is," Stephanie said.
Maddie was especially delighted when she saw herself in the awareness spot for Ovations for the Cure.
"What did you think when you saw yourself?" asked Lisa.
"Cool! And then once I saw the commercial I went back to watching kid shows," Maddie said.
If you would like to learn more about ovarian cancer and Ovations for the Cure, click on the links below
Support Ovations For The Cure Support Ovations For The Cure Ovarian.org
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
