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Christi began experiencing back pain in the spring of 2002. Doctors found nothing wrong. One day, she woke up from a nap screaming in pain and unable to breathe. A CT scan found a tumor along her spine and around her heart. September 11, 2002 she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the nervous system. It had spread throughout Christi's tiny body and into her bone marrow. She was Stage 4, the most advanced stage with the poorest chance of survival. Intense cancer treatments, two hours from home, put Christi in isolation for many months - no school, church, or friends.
Despite the harsh treatments, the cancer remained and it became medically necessary to transfer Christi's cancer care to New York City. Christi's parents left their youngest daughter at home (500 miles away) and moved into the Ronald McDonald House where they lived for 9 months during Christi's treatments. The treatment included surgeries, chemo, and other experimental trials. Still, her cancer remained.
Christi took many more experimental treatments some allowed her to live a relatively "normal" life at home. A profoundly gifted child, she loved school. She also took weekly: horse riding lessons, ballet, jazz, religion and piano lessons. She received the "Clara Barton Award" (the Red Cross's highest honor), for sponsoring blood drives. Christi knew first hand the importance of donating blood as her life has been saved over and over by loving blood donors.
Sadly, in January of 2006 Christi's cancer worsened and spread. Despite nine more months of experimental treatments, the cancer proved to be too much for Christi's body who had endured four continuous years of treatments. Christi gained her Angel wings on September 19, 2006 with her parents by her side.
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