Nine-year-old McKenzie Fasola got a powerful reminder that her community is behind her last weekend.
A parade was held Saturday in honor of the 9-year-old leukemia patient, an event that brought a broad, bright smile to her face and tears to the eyes of her family members.
“Kenzie knew she had the support of her friends and her family, but she didn’t know that people who didn’t know her supported her,” said Stephanie Parria, Fasola’s grandmother. “She found that out (Saturday). She had just the biggest smile for that entire parade.”
It was a good day for Fasola. Parria said those have been too rare for her granddaughter in recent weeks. Fasola in the midst of chemotherapy treatment and has been adjusting to a new day-to-day reality as she battles cancer, specifically acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL.
“She woke up in such a good mood, feeling really well that day,” Parria said of the parade day. “She was able to go out and sit under a tent to get away from the sun. People were dropping off little gifts for her and for her little brother.”
Because chemotherapy leaves Fasola with a severely compromised immune system, she cannot attend school in person and needs to be homeschooled. Likewise, her 5-year-old brother Brody will be homeschooled as well to reduce the risk of bringing an illness home during Fasola’s treatment.
“When she learned she had leukemia, she was OK with hearing that,” Parria said. “She took that OK. She’s like, ‘that’s OK, we’re just gonna deal with it.’ She was more calm than her mom, Kenzie kind of calmed her mom down … when she found out she wouldn’t be able to go to school, that broke her. She loves school. She’s a straight A student. She loves her teachers and her friends. She was going to be on the cheer team for St. Rose Elementary. So, she was really upset about that.”
It’s expected she will undergo eight months of chemotherapy treatment followed by about one year of maintenance treatment – a long journey ahead.
Fasola began having knee pain several weeks ago and her parents took her to the doctor’s office to check into it.
“At first, they thought it was growing pains,” Parria said. “But the pain got worse.”
Cancer wasn’t detected until a later medical visit led to a blood test – upon receiving the results, the doctor called Fasola’s parents and told them to bring her to the emergency room right away.
More blood work revealed a large, unexpected – and unimaginable – problem.
ALL is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It causes the body to make too many immature white blood cells called lymphoblasts. It is the most common cancer diagnosed in children, but it also affects adults.
Beyond the parade, the community has rallied to her side in other ways. Several fundraisers have been held to ease the financial burden on the family. A GoFundMe (titled Support McKenzie’s fight against leukemia) raised more than $16,000 in donations in its first 10 days. Parria said the family plans to donate any funds that are leftover to another newly diagnosed child with leukemia.
The Dessert Bar by Cailyn is holding a raffle fundraiser through Sept. 1 in support of Fasola, with 100 percent of proceeds going to her family. First prize is a Luxe Sweet Box valued at $320 and every entrant will receive a Kenzie’s Krewe bracelet.
The Needle & Thread Sewing Academy will host a Teddy Bear Tea silent auction and raffle benefit for Fasola on Sunday, Nov. 15. Destrehan Nutrition and Essential Nutrition have created a Kenzie’s Krewe Tea, with $1 from every sale going toward helping the family.
There will also be Kenzie’s Krewe shirts and bracelets available at the upcoming Father’s House Fall Fest on Oct. 10 and 11.
Parria said Fasola is “the biggest sweetheart,” and someone who makes friends everywhere she goes.
“There’s nobody who doesn’t like her,” Parria said. “She’s got an old soul.”
She also might just be the youngest Beatles fan in the world.
“She heard one of their songs and she fell in love,” Parria said. “There’s a band that dresses up like the Beatles and does Beatles concerts, and she’s gone to like three of them already.”
She’s also a talented artist who loves butterflies and reading. She also loves her tiny pet Yorkie – who she regularly enjoys dressing up.
It’s been especially tough for her family to see her in pain.
“I want to take her place,” Parria said. “Courtney (Fasola’s mother) wants to take her place. We’d all give anything to be able to take her place.”
