Meet Our Champions

It started with a week of not feeling like herself, persistent fever, extreme fatigue, and unexplained arm pain. Blood tests revealed concerning anomalies, and nine-year-old Matilda’s family received the devastating news: she had cancer. Before starting treatment, she needed to recover from a severe infection, with hematology/oncology, infectious disease, and orthopedic specialists working tirelessly to stabilize her. Then began the long road of immunotherapy and leukemia treatments. Today, Matilda is in the maintenance phase and a regular Hematology/Oncology department patient at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital Cancer Center. Despite it all, Matilda’s spirit shines. Her family credits the compassionate care team for making her feel like family, whether it’s a nurse sharing her wedding album, a doctor coming in on Saturdays, or staff stopping by just to check in. Matilda loves playing Barbies, enjoys spending time with family and friends, and looks forward to finishing treatment this year.