Two-year-old Chiara Langton is a typical toddler. She’s feisty, incredibly bright and always smiling. And so big, in fact, that you would never know that she’s in remission from leukemia.
“You never think it’s going to be your child. You never think you’re going to hear those words. You never in your wildest dreams could imagine it,” said Chiara’s mother, Christine Clogg.
Chiara was diagnosed with leukemia last April. The toddler was immediately admitted to the Montreal Children’s Hospital where she spent her second birthday. Over the last 10 months, she’s had two surgeries, chemotherapy, countless injections, hundreds of doctors appointments, and four blood transfusions.
“It’s been a lot, she takes it like a champion,” said Clogg. “She is the feistiest, fiercest little girl that you can ever meet. She just takes it like a champ and with the biggest smile on her face.”
Now that Chiara is in remission, her parents are already trying to pay it forward. Recently, they stumbled upon a Facebook post by Hema-Quebec, calling for people with an O+ and an O- blood type to consider donating, as their supply is running low.
And since that’s Chiara’s blood type, the family decided to host a blood drive that’ll take place on Feb. 19, in their daughter’s name.
“I was really affected when I saw her getting a pint of blood put in her at the beginning,” said Chiara’s father, Ryan Langton. “I was blown away, I couldn’t believe it. I just thought a person that I’ll never meet, that I’ll never get to thank, just someone off the street out of the kindness of their heart, decided to give blood one day and that blood saved her life.”
Though Chiara is doing well today, her parents say she still has a long road ahead. She’s in the maintenance phase, which means fewer hospital visits, but daily chemo at home and ivy chemo every three months.
Still, her family has slowly started integrating her back into her life pre-diagnosis, with play dates and dance classes. And just a few months away from her third birthday, she too wants to pay it forward – she says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up.
“I want to help some people,” said Chiara.
The blood drive will take place on Monday, February 19 at Macdonald High School in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, from 1-7PM. The drive will be by appointment – to make one you can go on Hema-Quebec‘s website or call 1-800-343-7264.