With her family surrounding her and protecting her, Isola Fidic bravely overcame more challenges than any six-year-old should have to go through. They overcame years of battle to restore her health, peppered with worst-case scenarios.
Isola was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ ALCL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, when she was four years old. Her second relapse occurred dangerously quickly and she required a bone marrow transplant.
They are out of survival mode, but peace of mind is far from clear for Fiddix. They must learn to live with uncertainty. The constant tests and hospitalizations were hard on everyone, but at least they knew what was going on inside Isola’s little body and as quickly as it changed. Her mother, Tricia, said the cancer was undetectable and she is in remission again, but she will continue to take the medication for two more years and won’t be considered cancer-free for some time.
Things are getting better, but it’s hard to trust. But Isola is her usual sunny self and deserves to experience a world that has been closed to her for most of her life between the pandemic and cancer treatment.
“We know it’s going to be a slow process for her, but we’re ready for it,” Tricia said. “We are ready to bring her as much joy and excitement as possible.”
Their last cheer before surgery was at a Kraken game in Seattle 11 months ago. Since then, Isola has been severely immunocompromised and complications, including graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), have prolonged his recovery. GvHD is a systemic disease that occurs when immune cells in the transplant (donated bone marrow) recognize the host (Isola’s tissues) as foreign and attack them. cell.
Her immune system is functioning well and her medical team has determined that she can cope with going out in public this month. Isola asked the oncologist if this could be a Kraken game. To her surprise, the answer was yes.
“They knew how important it was to her, too,” said her father, Rob. “A key component of treatment is maintaining mental health.”
Isola and her sister Antonette provided the Kraken. Good luck fist bump Before Monday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Seattle forward Matty Beniers threw her a warm-up puck. “Welcome back, Isola!” flashed on the jumbotron. Beniers and defenseman Will Bogen came out to greet her after the game and sign her autograph.
“It was nice to meet and talk to her outside the hospital,” Bogen said. “She’s always really happy.”
Ever since Morgan Geekie signed with another team last summer, the coveted role of Isola’s favorite Kraken player may or may not be up for grabs.
“That’s Matty,” Bogen said. “100%”
The Kraken is a recurring character in the ongoing story. At first, it looked like an insect bite on 4-year-old Isola’s sensitive skin, but antibiotics and steroids didn’t help. It took her several months to insist on further testing until she was diagnosed with stage 3 in February 2022. ALK-positive ALCL responds well to standard chemotherapy, and most patients go into long-term remission, so Isola underwent a series of chemotherapy treatments that were finished at the last minute. her 5th birthday.
But just a few months later, her parents made a horrifying revelation. She was having a relapse. Because ALCL is a rare cancer, there is no standard treatment plan for recurrence. Isola needed a bone marrow transplant, but her family didn’t have a perfectly matched donor.
Geeky helped spread the word. In a video shared by the team, the former Kraken forward introduced fans to the National Bone Marrow Donor Program, formerly known as Be the Match. Even if the new member doesn’t create a match with Isola, he or she may be able to help someone else.
Isola found a partner in Germany, and the transplant took place on April 20, 2023, at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Her family has not yet been allowed to contact the donor, but she hopes to meet him someday.
After the surgery, Isola had to be closely monitored. Even the slightest fever increases the likelihood of going to the hospital. Antonette had to skip school to keep Isola safe while she was in the most danger. Isola loved her kindergarten experience, too, and she hopes she can return to school in April for the last few months of her first grade after being out of school for more than a year. Masu.
Tricia said their days have brought some much-needed brightness.
“Her spirits are really up. She has a lot of energy,” she said. “It wasn’t until I went to a Kraken game this week that I realized how much I missed having fun with her family. It was heavy.”
People who receive bone marrow transplants lose some or all of their vaccination history, which takes years to rebuild. They must believe in their responsibility to stay home when strangers are sick and trust that Isola will fight with others.
“That’s why community health is so important for children with compromised immune systems,” Tricia says. “We can protect those who cannot yet protect themselves.”
After her one year of tests, doctors will determine whether the transplant was successful or not, but all signs were positive. Tricia says there’s a good chance her cancer won’t come back a third time.
She turns seven in July, but some refer to April 20th as Isola’s “resurrection day.” The family plans to celebrate with a trip to Disneyland. A dream trip is also planned. Isola wanted a location with a beautiful beach where she could wake up in the morning, put on her bathing suit and jump right into the ocean.
Meanwhile, Fiddix is still adjusting to his newfound freedom. Isola required so many blood transfusions over the years that her parents arranged a blood drive to pay it forward. They want to use their hard-earned knowledge to help others.
As for the immediate future, a 7 p.m. start is late for a school night, but you won’t want to miss watching Geeky return to Climate Pledge Arena with the Boston Bruins on Monday night. They keep in touch with him and he will be back on the stand.
It’s time to reveal Isola’s experience.
“It’s just exposing her to the outside world and bringing her back to a normal child’s life. It’s so gratifying for us to see that,” Rob said. “That hasn’t happened to her in the last four years.”
want to help?
Enroll in the National Bone Marrow Donor Program. https://my.bethematch.org/teamisola
To follow Isola’s progress, visit the family’s GoFundMe. https://gofund.me/cdaa82da. Tricia also created an Instagram account @help_isola_fight_cancer, where she posted information about the blood drive that will be held from February 23rd to April 23rd.
