Can you imagine watching your child fight for her life?
Your support helped Brittany Gill through one of the most difficult days in her young daughter’s cancer journey at Arkansas Children’s. Here’s her story.
It was a beautiful, sunny day as my 3-year-old daughter Willow and I drove to her appointment at Arkansas Children’s. My husband Jon works out of state, so it was just Willow and me. She was scheduled for one of her many treatments for leukemia.
Willow had been battling cancer for a while, and her treatments had become part of our normal routine. Never in a million years could I have imagined what was about to happen.
We had been at the hospital for several hours when, during Willow’s treatment, the nurse said to me, “Why don’t you take a break?” I headed out of Willow’s room knowing our little girl was in good hands.
When I returned about 20 minutes later, I noticed the hallway was filled with Arkansas Children’s team members. It took me a second to realize they were gathered around Willow’s room. I worked at a hospital for 10 years, so when I spotted the crash cart, I knew…
Willow was in serious trouble.
I remember the crowd parting to let me into our daughter’s room. It was the most devastating sight I have ever seen. Willow was surrounded by people, shock pads on her chest to restart her heart, a “bag” — a manual resuscitator — on her face to restart her breathing.
My first thoughts are still seared into my brain.
Not today. Please don’t take her today. This is not how I want her story to end.
I rushed to Willow’s bedside and had an overwhelming feeling that I needed to touch the nurse who was working to save my daughter. I think I was trying to transfer all my prayers into her hands. I reached out and rested my hand on her back.
I held my breath and waited for my world to collapse.
Then, when Willow started breathing again, I think I did, too. That’s when all the emotions hit me at once. Suddenly I had the most terrifying thought.
I almost lost my child.
Thankfully, the Arkansas Children’s team is amazing. I’m forever in their debt for doing the incredible job they were called to do. It’s a hard job, and they give everything they have to kids like Willow. They make a difference in the world. Every day, they make a difference.
Kids are fighting cancer and other serious illnesses and injuries right now at Arkansas Children’s. I feel like I have to pay it forward because that day could have gone very differently. We could have not had our daughter here with us today.
To help support kids like Willow at Arkansas Children’s, click here.