Meet Miracle Kid Kaytee Ivison

Posted at: 05/31/2011 10:39 AM | Updated at: 05/31/2011 11:00 AM
By: Ted Fioraliso | WHEC.com

Imagine finding out on your birthday that you have leukemia -- your 14th birthday at that. That's what happened to a girl from Byron, who needed a bone marrow transplant.

When Kaytee Ivison woke up on her 14th birthday, something didn't seem right. “I had not been feeling well for the past couple of days.”

So kaytee's mom Adella took her to the doctor. “The doctor right away knew something was wrong. Her color was off. So when they called and said right away get down to Golisano, they're waiting for you, we think it's leukemia. It doesn't hit you.You just react.”

Kaytee was welcomed at Golisano Children's Hhospital with open arms. “As soon as I got onto my floor - Floor 14 - they actually got a piece of pie and some ice cream from the cafeteria and sang Happy Birthday to me.”

But things quickly turned serious. Doctors diagnosed Kaytee with AML -- acute myeloid leukemia -- a disease that's usually found in older patients. She required intensive treatment, including four rounds of chemotherapy over seven weeks.

Adella Ivison said, “At one point, Kaytee got so bad, she went into the PICU and we almost lost her. We all took turns staying with her, so she was never alone. I think that's extremely important.”

Kaytee doesn't remember a lot, but she has quite the sense of humor about the whole thing. “I ate a lot of popsicles and popcorn and a lot of daytime television.”

But Kaytee wasn't out of the woods yet. Dr. Denise Casey said, “The best treatment was to go ahead with transplant rather than chemotherapy alone.”

A 21-year-old woman was a perfect match and donated her bone marrow to Kaytee. On May 5, 2010, Kaytee received the transplant. “I thought it was going to be an extremely extravagant thing but it actually wasn't that dramatic at all.”

Dr. Casey said, “I don't think bone marrow transplant is easy on anybody, but she's a real trooper.”

A year after her transplant, Kaytee is making a remarkable recovery. She still comes to Golisano Children's Hospital once a month for check-ups. “They're starting to cut back on a lot of the medicines I'm taking.”

Kaytee's experience at Golisano Children's Hospital hasn't just changed her life, but her loved ones' too. She's now on course to lead a regular adult life.

Her mother said, “I can't be prouder. She's really grown and matured through this, and she's going to be a force to be reckoned with in this world.”

Kaytee is back at school full time at Byron-Bergen High School. She wants to study ancient civilizations and become a teacher. She's also part of the support group "Teens Living with Cancer."

News 10NBC’s annual telethon to benefit the Golisano Children's Hospital is set for June 3 and 4.

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