“I was three when I was diagnosed. The doctors at the clinic said I had Leukemia,” said senior Jordan Meier.
According to the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, MN, Leukemia is a disease that starts in the bone marrow. The word Leukemia means white blood cells. Patients with this disease have an abnormally high amount of these cells causing their red blood cells and mature white blood cells to stop production.
Mature white blood cells are what helps the body’s immune system defend itself from germs and viruses. Without those cells, patients have a very high risk of becoming more ill.
“We had to go down to Arkansas Children’s Hospital and that’s where I was treated. I stayed there for two or three weeks,” said Meier.
If any of you know Jordan, she wouldn’t be characterized as a very shy person. As a child this was very different.
“I wouldn’t let any of the doctors touch me. My mom even had to put the stethoscope on me when they wanted to do that. I only liked one nurse at Children’s, and I would only let her touch me,” she said.
During the three year olds stay at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, her parents accompanied her the entire time. Jordan would sleep between her mom’s legs every night and wouldn’t let her move until she fell asleep.
“I think it was probably way harder on my parents than it was on me because I didn’t know what was going on,” said Meier.
With her immune system very low, her parents couldn’t risk the chance of any germs or viruses coming in contact with her from the other children. As a cheerleader, Meier has always been athletic whether it was with gymnastics or competitive cheer.
“I did gymnastics when I was 2 and then I had to stop because I couldn’t be around kids.” She could not attend pre-school, but by the time she was old enough to start kindergarten she attended Young Elementary cancer free. However, they did not announce her as being in remission until she was in the 2nd grade.
“A miracle basically appeared from God,” said the senior.
Although Meier doesn’t remember much as a three year old, having to return to Children’s for checkups won’t ever leave her memory.
“I would go 3 times a year in elementary and then I would go less and less. My last visit was when I was 15, freshman year and I still cried like I did every time.”
Going through this as a kid has taught Meier many things. Most people don’t know about her story, however she doesn’t hide the one scar she has.
“I have one scar that I don’t want removed because it’s my only battle wound,” Meier said as she held her chest, where her port was placed as a child.“I’ve learned to cherish every moment and live out each day the best that I can”.
She has attended public school her entire life and has not let the cancer stop her from doing anything a normal kid would do. Although slight pains in her back occur sparingly during the cheer season, Meier has realized that it is worth it to her and she would never let slight side effects of her cancer be the reason to stop doing what she loves.
The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) states on their website that they have dedicated September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. During this month, the organization tries to pack in as many events and activities as possible to try to spread the word more. There are 15,780 children, under the age of 21, diagnosed with cancer each year and a devastating amount of ¼ of those will not survive. This month is not only used as a tool to spread awareness, but also to encourage donations and money drives to help further research.