This picture was taken a few weeks ago at my daughter’s 3rd birthday party. Maddie (mine) is in the center wearing her yellow "Belle" gown. To her left is Lily Adkins, sporting the latest "Princess Tiana" fashion, her mom, Trish, is laughing in the background. To the right, in the blue "Ariel" dress, is Natalie, my good friend and college roommate Jenny’s daughter. I heart this picture, but for reasons other than it is one of the stinkin' cutest things I’ve ever seen.I met Trish Adkins – then Trish Carrington – in college. We had little in common other than two things, we were both in (different) sororities and our boyfriends were best friends. We had our own group of friends, different majors, and different agendas. Basically, we paid very little attention to each other. As time move on, we graduated, landed our first “real” job and our first “real” place. Oh, and one other thing, we were marrying those two best friends.
Over the years, I became very fond of Trish. I found her funny, irreverent, and super smart, just the sort of chick I like to hang with. She quickly went from someone I ran into from time to time, to a very significant member of my soon to be extended family. We fully celebrated each others weddings and were thrilled when we found out that she and Mike (her hubby) were expecting their first baby.
Lily Adkins was born 11 weeks early, spent 10 days on a ventilator and 7 weeks in the NICU. Trish spent every moment she was allowed, by her baby’s side, literally nursing her to heath. Through the exhausting ordeal, Trish stayed positive. When they finally brought Lily home, she was a happy, heathly, and gorgeous little thing. So we were shocked, when at 14 months, Lily was diagnosed with a regular ependymona brain tumor. One day Lily is smiling and playing, the next day she is vomiting and losing her motor skills. Trish had the good sense to call the doctor immediately, and, if you can be fortunate in this sort of situation, lived local to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Lily was immediately admitted.
I remember walking into their room at CHOP and found Lily lying in bed with Trish stretched out next to her. They both looked exhausted, numb, and shocked. How Trish held it together is beyond my grasp of understanding. How she got the strength to take a shower every few days blows my mind. It would have been enough to break me. Somehow she not only navigated the basic fundamentals of her day – like eating – she also managed Lily’s treatment. No small task when doctors are talking about things like shunts and IVCs and radiation, enough to make your head spin. Trish began to pour herself into studying everything she could to better understand this grossly unfair disease. When they found out Lily was eligible for Proton Radiation Therapy at MD Anderson – a treatment that would not require chemotherapy - Trish temporarily moved the family from Philadelphia to Texas.
The weeks of treatment were successful and Lily is now in remission. Lily has regular physical and occupational therapy to help recover her gross motor skills. For now she needs an MRI every 6 months and will continue to have them the rest of her life. Her MRI’s have been clear since 2007 and she recently celebrated her 4th birthday. Lily is a fighter, she has a spirit in her you cannot describe, you have to meet her to truly understand why she is so, so special, and the person who pulled her through this was her mother – who will never accept the praise she deserves.
I love women who rock and Trish rocks. She is a devoted mother, handles the absolute worst of situations with nothing but grace, throws a mean kids birthday party complete with a candy bar, runs her own Yoga company Trinitas Yoga, writes her blog, YOKE, and brings a major dose of inspiration to my day, every day.
I don’t know why things happen the way they do. I don’t know why babies have to get cancer. What I do know, now that I have witnessed Lily Adkins brave battle, is that no disease can destroy the human spirit. And with someone like Trish on your side, you can find the strength to win your battle, even if you are barely a year old.
The Adkins' Family, including Mike, Lily's wonderful dad, and baby sister Chloe, are now committed to the fight against childhood cancer. This Saturday, June 12th, they will host their 2nd annual Lily’s Lemonade Stand at their home in New Jersey, with all proceeds going to Alex’s Lemonade Stand. If you would like to make a donation, please visit http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/9214 . Your donation will help find a cure for pediatric cancer, could save a life and will one day prevent an entire family from having to contend with this sort of ordeal.
Lily – You are more special to us then you will ever know.
Trish – I really love and admire the woman you are and am grateful everyday that our girls will grow up together.
See you on Saturday.
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