Pain in Shari’s right leg plagued her in January 1997. A 10-year-old gymnast, Shari thought it was merely a sports-related injury until the pain kept her awake at night. A trip to her family physician, followed by an MRI by an orthopedist revealed a tumor on her right hipbone. She was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma and soon began her personal journey in battling cancer at the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Fairview.

The next 11 months were spent in chemotherapy, with six weeks of daily radiation. She opted not to have the tumor removed because she would lose the use of her right leg. In August 1997, she underwent a three-day procedure in which stem cells from her blood were harvested, filtered and frozen for future use. Four days after Christmas that year, she endured eight days of very high-dose chemotherapy, followed by a transplant of her previously harvested stem cells. Twenty-six days later, after her white blood cell counts returned to an acceptable level, she was released from the hospital.

By supporting the University of Minnesota’s Stem Cell Biology Program, Children’s Cancer Research Fund is enabling University researchers to continue their pioneering efforts in blood and marrow transplantation (BMT). This support allows researchers to expand their BMT studies to further develop novel approaches for treating pediatric cancer patients like Shari who require marrow transplantation.

In addition to an effective treatment regimen, Shari also had a strong support system during her treatment. “The nurses and doctors at the hospital were one big family,” she says. “Everyone knows you.”

In order to keep up with her classmates, Shari was home schooled by middle school teachers. Her friends were also supportive during her treatment, which enabled her to beat her cancer.

Shari, who is now 21 years old, has been cancer-free since late 1997. She is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and will graduate with her RN in May. She will take her boards this summer and work as an RN while attending online classes next year to receive her BSN. She then plans on moving back to the Twin Cities and hopes to work on the pediatric hematology/oncology floor at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview.

While Shari is looking ahead to a bright future, she still lives with long-term effects of her victorious battle against cancer. Radiation treatments resulted in lung complications, such as shortness of breath. She also requires yearly check ups and growth hormones.

Shari hasn’t let her health issues affect her social life. In fact, she loves playing tennis, rock climbing, relaxing and spending time with her friends.

Through Children’s Cancer Research Fund and other organizations, Shari has made friends with other teens battling cancer. Through an online support group, she became close friends with a girl named Brianna who also battled Ewing’s sarcoma. In fact, Shari visited her in California in 1999. Brianna, who was a few years younger than Shari, died a week after the visit.

“It makes me wonder why others like Brianna passed away and I didn’t,” she says. “While I wouldn’t choose to have cancer, I can appreciate it for the experiences it has provided me and the people it has enabled me to meet.”

Shari also appreciates Children’s Cancer Research Fund for its support of cutting-edge pediatric cancer research at the University of Minnesota. “Children’s Cancer Research Fund is an amazing organization, and I support their activities and fundraisers,” she says. “I’ve met a lot of other kids battling cancer, and I probably wouldn’t be here if not for the research supported by Children’s Cancer Research Fund.”


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