It was the month of March in 2008. Lauren Bush was five years old and experiencing some bruising that did not go away. In addition, she was experiencing leg pain and was having some vision problems. Her mom called the eye doctor and was told, “Probably pink eye, I’ll call in a prescription.”
But her mom didn’t feel right about what she was told and decided to take Lauren to see another doctor. After blood work, Lauren was admitted to the hospital and subsequently diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).
Fortunately, ALL is the most treatable of all types of leukemia. Treatments include a regimen of chemotherapy lasting three years that would begin the very next day for Lauren.
By mid-summer of 2008, Lauren was well into chemotherapy, which was an exhausting regimen of drugs and treatments, which caused her to lose her hair. Steroids made her “puff up” and her face became very round. Some of the drugs made Lauren feel constantly ill and that was only subdued by more medication that was needed to help control the nausea.
During the first months of chemotherapy, Lauren was barely able to go up the steps to her bedroom and had to be carried most of the time. By the time she started Kindergarten, Lauren was over most of the side effects of the steroids. Although she still had to take them on a different schedule, along with several other drugs.
She started school without a single hair on her head, but went into it with a big smile. Lauren breezed through Kindergarten despite the necessary continuing of her chemotherapy.
Today, Lauren and her family have participated in every Relay for Life, since she was diagnosed, pushing through even when Lauren was not well.
2015 makes eight years, and her “Lauren’s Butterflies” organization has raised well over $60,000 for the American Cancer Society. Lauren currently attends Prince Edward County Middle School.
Beginning in 2008 when Lauren was diagnosed, the Longwood Lancers Softball team has constantly supported her.
The first year, the team sent a card and an autographed softball to her, and in the years after that the Longwood Lancers Softball Team has sponsored Lauren’s Day at a designated home game. This event has been very special to Lauren and her family.
Her sister Caroline has taken part in the opening ceremonies of the game and her family is always in attendance. Both Lauren’s mother Julie and her grandmother Bonnie are Longwood Alumni.
Laurens family encourages the Longwood community and the surrounding Farmville area to come on out and take part in the eighth annual Lauren’s Day on April 24, 2015.
