Page 12 midwest horse digest February 09
Horse World Heroes
Don’t put a number
on her ~ This is Chloe
time for Chloe, but her
Unfortunately, cancer wasn’t done with
competitive spirit and
Chloe yet.
love of horses helped her
At a barrel racing competition in
pull through the treat-
August 2003, Chloe started to feel sick
ment.
again. She had flu-like symptoms and
The best trophy ever.
could barely climb on to her horse. She
Photo Credits:
Chloe’s disease was
felt dizzy and vomited, but she didn’t quit.
Rick Ouellette
trying to get the best of
In fact, when her mom suggested they
her. Chloe, however, does
skip the competition, Chloe replied,
not like to lose. When she
“Mom, I’ve done a lot harder things than
Chloe with her horse Cashyerchexatthebar, AKA Bailey
was ready to receive another
this. I came to race and I want my points.
series of treatments, some of
” After the competition, they went to the
Statistics were not in her favor, but which would be very painful, her nurse offered
hospital and discovered that Chloe had
sixth grader Chloe Fruth has never been one to reward Chloe with a trophy, if she could
relapsed. Chloe, once again, had to fight for
to worry about the odds. Regardless of the be brave throughout the
her life. She received
challenges she’s faced, Chloe has kept a pro-cedures. She knew
radiation treatments
positive attitude and that, along with some Chloe wasn’t one to shy
in September and
help from the ongoing work of Children’s away from a challenge
November of 2003.
Cancer Research Fund, has earned the 11- like that. “It’s one of the
While she was
year-old two titles: world champion barrel racer hardest things I’ve ever
undergoing treatment,
and cancer survivor. worked towards,” Chloe
Chloe’s family heard
It’s Leukemia.
said. That trophy kept
about groundbreaking
World champion is a far cry from
her going. In fact, it
work performed at
her life at age 4. Chloe was losing her spark
strengthened and
the University of
and started becoming severely lethargic. She
motivated her so much
Minnesota Cancer
was continu-ously fighting high fevers and had
that when Chloe com-
Center with the
dark circles under her eyes. Her parents knew
pleted treatment, she
support of Children’s
something was wrong, but were shocked
decided to help other
Cancer Research
when they found out exactly how wrong. After
children the way that
Fund. Chloe was
being referred to a specialist by her
nurse had helped her.
referred to the
pediatrician, Chloe was diagnosed with acute
Chloe designed a “brav-
University of
lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in November of
ery” trophy to help other
Minnesota Children’s
2000. And, to make matters worse, her ALL
kids endure the same
Hospital, Fairview and
was complicated by a chromosomal
challenges she did. She
placed under the care
abnormality. Chloe immediately started
even dedicated $2000
of Dr. Margaret
chemotherapy at a local children’s hospital
— proceeds from a
MacMillan.She
and underwent treatment from November
fundraiser rodeo intended for
received an umbilical
2000 through February 2003. It was a tough
her benefit — to buy hundreds of trophies for
cord blood transplant, a radical treatment
other children.
being pioneered at the Cancer Center, and
spent 67 days in the hospital recovering. In
order to continue its pioneering efforts, the
Cancer Center’s Stem Cell Biology Program
relies on assistance from Children’s Cancer
Research Fund. This support allows
researchers to expand their umbilical cord
blood studies and to continue further
development of novel approaches for treating
pediatric cancer patients like Chloe.
Cancer isn’t a death sentence. It’s a life
sentence.
Throughout their time in the
hospital, the Fruth family’s approach to cancer
was: “We’re going to live life to the fullest,
because you never know where you’ll be
tomorrow. So they made sure that the days
Chloe spent recovering from her surgery were
as much fun as possible. Children’s Cancer
Research Fund helped by providing a Care
Partners Care Bag designed to make their
hospital stay and treatment more bearable. It
was one of the things that helped Chloe and
her family keep their spirits up.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44