A 10 year old girl from Connecticut is alive and thriving today thanks to a cutting edge clinical trial that targeted the specific genetic mutation driving her leukemia. Hannah Cole, diagnosed on her birthday in May, is the only child from New Haven enrolled in an international study that her doctors say offered the best chance at a cure.
Hannah collapsed at school during a running exercise, her lips turning blue. By the end of that day she was in the hospital. Doctors at Smilow Cancer Hospital diagnosed her with a rare, genetically defined form of leukemia. Rather than a standard one size fits all approach, her care team recommended an international clinical trial that matched a targeted therapy to her cancer's unique molecular profile. The treatment has been highly effective, according to her father Matthew, who credits the hospital's staff with making a terrifying ordeal manageable.
The family chose to be fully transparent with Hannah from the start. “We decided to give her as much transparency as possible about what the diagnosis is and what that looks like,” said her mother Gail. That honesty, combined with the hospital's focus on both cutting edge research and family support, helped Hannah become an active participant in her own care. She now takes pride in knowing that her treatment is also advancing science for other children.
Every dollar raised by the annual Closer to Free Ride funds patient care, survivor programs and clinical trials at Smilow. This year the Cole family will participate for the first time. Matthew recently completed a solo 150 mile ride from New York City to Montauk, tracing Hannah's name on the map. When he felt like quitting, he thought of her. “I wanted to channel that strength and bravery that she shows every day,” he said.
On ride day, the family will join hundreds of cyclists outside the hospital where Hannah continues treatment. Her parents say the gratitude they feel for the doctors, nurses and researchers is immeasurable. Hannah plans to cheer them on from the sidewalk with a handmade sign. “It’s going to be fun,” she said. For a family that once faced a birthday spent in a hospital room, that simple hope is everything.