Hundreds of thousands of social media visitors would check the page of Khyrstin (Kyssi) Andrews on a consistent basis to see how she was doing. Even our own editorial department were moved by the stories of courage and strength of the young girl and her mom. The beautiful, brave Kyssi, who was stricken with cancer, caught the attention and hearts of everyone who heard about her story.
Our hearts, prayers and thoughts are with her family as we learned of her passing on June 7, 2015.
According to her facebook page, here is account of her beautiful story that inspired so many:
Khyrstin (Kyssi) Andrews is a very cheerful and energetic 6 year old who resides in Houston, TX, was born on October 14, 2008 and has WON her battle against CANcer 2 different times and was re-diagnosed again, most recently, for a 3rd time on April 11, 2014.
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Khyrstin had NO prior symptoms or pain. She was going to daycare every day, playing with her friends and being a perfectly normal 3 year old little girl (so we thought).
• 5/1/2012 she started urinating blood. Her aunt and a very dear family friend rushed her to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with stage 2 Wilm’s Tumor (a form of kidney cancer) and then she was transferred immediately to another local hospital via ambulance for further diagnosis, surgery on 5/4/2012 to remove her right…
…kidney, the cantaloupe sized cancerous tumor and to have a portal catheter (port) above her heart placed in order for her to have her chemotherapy treatments, receive medications, blood and platelets when/if needed. Shortly after surgery was performed, she started a very aggressive/extensive radiation and chemotherapy treatment which consisted of 4 different chemo drugs. She had non-stop weekly chemo treatments that began in May 2012 and he last of her treatments were on November 27, 2012 which is when she was considered in remission for the 1st time (such a GREAT day).
• March 1, 2013, Kyssi went back to the hospital for what we though would’ve been just an appointment her 3 month checkup and scans after being in remission, not knowing that we’d return home with our lives and hearts changed yet “AGAIN”. She was diagnosed with Stage IV Wilms Tumor that had metastasized (moved/spread) in both of her lungs and was given 30-40% chance of survival at that point. That was the “report of the doctors”….our heart and mind was yet made up to wait on the “report of the LORD” and NOT GIVE UP. Ever since that day….life has been ever so different for us. She was placed on a totally different chemotherapy regimen that is was much much stronger than before and it kept her a whole lot more sick. With this particular treatment, Kyssi has had over 200 (plus) blood and platelet transfusions combined, MORE frequent hospital stays and unexpected emergency room visits, constant abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, loss of sleep and also the loss of her hair for the 2nd time due to treatments. She’s definitely the toughest 6 year old kid that most people know. After undergoing treatment and not expected to live to see her 5th birthday, January 17, 2014, we were very PROUD to announce to family and to all of our supporters that our little Kyssi was once again in REMISSION and has “Kicked CANcer in the Butt” for the 2nd time.
Unfortunately that remission status didn’t last but only three short months again……
• April 10, 2014 Kyssi was due to have her 3 month scans and was unfortunately re-diagnosed on April 11, 2014 (after having scans) with Stage IV Wilms Tumor that had returned to her lung again for the 2nd time and was given a 20% chance of survival. Lord knows mommy was torn as she sat in the room alone receiving this news but quickly got it together and made up in her mind….THE FIGHT IS ON, WE’RE NOT GIVING UP….we’ll TAKE that 20% chance, because it is a CHANCE that GOD has given……WE KNOW GOD, WE KNOW that HE HAS done, HE CAN do and HE IS ABLE to do immeasurably MORE than all we ask or imagine according to HIS power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).…. we’re PRAYERFUL and WE STILL BELIEVE the report of the Lord. On May 12, 2014 Kyssi underwent her 2nd lung surgery (she now has 2 partial lungs and 1 kidney). There were NO MORE treatment options for her condition other than the surgery that she had just had (imagine being told that….mommy’s heart broke) until her AMAZING Oncologist offered (without being able to give any medical/definite guarantees) an “experimental” chemo treatment. There was really NO CHOICE and it was absolutely the hardest decision that mommy had to make, but THANKS BE TO GOD and our AMAZING medical team at M.D. Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital, Kyssi is currently taking an “experimental” chemo treatment that is NOT necessarily for the type of cancer that she has but the CANcer “IS” presently responding to and “IS” working in her favor (THANK GOD). She has had her share of ups and downs with this treatment regimen but we are GRATEFUL for how it has worked for Kyssi so far.
• February 17, 2015 Kyssi had another surgical procedure (central line placement in her groin) for the purpose of collection and harvesting her “own” stem cells. On February 18-20, 2015 the collection process started and ended. At this point we’re preparing for what “might” be Kyssi’s last round of chemotherapy treatment before the actual stem cell transplant takes place. This is a very crucial and emotional time in Kyssi’s treatment and we are asking that our supporters PRAY, AGREE and BELIEVE with us as we await and prepare for the next plan of action for her treatment/healing in a great effort to completely heal her, help her to be CANcer free and to live a long, healthy, normal and prosperous life.
•March 30, 2015 Kyssi was admitted and had another surgical procedure to have another central line placed and was ready for the month long hospital stay, HIGH dose chemotherapy treatment and stem cell transplant.
•March 31 – April 5, 2015 HIGH dose chemo was given daily.
•April 6, 2015 Kyssi had her stem cell transplant…..”RESTORATION DAY”!!!!!
•April 7, 2015 Kyssi was admitted into the ICU unit because she had gone into renal failure (kidney) and would be required to have daily diaysis treatment. Shortly after being admitted into the ICU unit other major issues started to happen and more extensive treatment was needed. She remained in ICU from April 7 – April 26, 2015.
•April 20, 2015 things started to drastically change with Kyssi’s health and she was intubated, transferred to another hospital for more extensive treatment and immediately started continuous (around the clock) dialysis treatment.
After learning of her death, we believe her mom said it best:
“At 1:57am this morning my little Kyssi won her battle with CANcer, grew ANGEL wings and went home to be with the Lord. There’s no more disease, no more suffering, no more pain and she’s now in the safest arms that she could ever be in other than the arms of her mom.”
Rest in Peace Kyssi. We miss you.
For more on the beautiful, brave Kyssi, click here
To donate to the family, click here.
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