Name of tutu recipient: Natalie Collins

Age: 4

Diagnosis: Wilms Tumor on both kidneys

Age at Diagnosis: 3

Date of Diagnosis: 4/22/2011

Treatment Center: Cincinnati Children’s

Treatment Plan: Chemo and both kidneys removed

Grade:

Favorite Subjects:

Favorite Books: Pinkalicious, Good Night Train, I Love You Because You’re You

Favorite Activities: Playing games, singing, watching The Little Mermaid and running around really fast since I was stuck in a hospital bed and on the couch for so long not feeling well during chemo treatments.

Favorite Colors: Pink and Blue

Favorite Foods: Skyline/Gold Star 3–ways and chocolate

My Support Team: Mommy, daddy, Noah, Emma

What else do you want others to know about you?

I’ve been through so much more than a lot of people will ever have to go through. I’m a very brave girl who loves Princess Ariel from The Little Mermaid and love spending time with mommy, daddy, Noah and Emma. Like Ali, my favorite color is PINK and always has been! I gave everyone a few really big scares through my journey but am thankful to be feeling so good these days. I went through many rounds of Chemo and lost both of my kidneys due to the cancerous tumors on them. I just had my nine month post-chemo scan and am happy to report the scans were clear. I currently go to dialysis four days a week (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat) but hope to get a kidney transplant by the end of the year. Mommy has a website set up that she tries to update as much as possible if you’d like to follow my journey or see how far I’ve come: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nataliecollins. We’re really looking forward to going to Disneyworld for my Make-a-Wish trip once the transplant is over and I can’t wait.

My motto through this journey has been to say “me tough” and I tell everyone all the time when I grow up I want to be a nurse and take care of sick kids like me! I’m very thankful our family and friends have done so many amazing things for us over the past year plus and we can’t thank everyone enough. We are truly blessed and thankful that I’m still here and such a tough little girl!

If you want to help support Natalie in receiving her kidney transplant they are having a benefit at  Jim and Jacks on the River on October 28th.

Thanks for sharing Natalie! You just look cute as can be in your tutu!! I pray this transplant is the end to all this suffering and the beginning of a healthy new journey!