CJ's Daughter Brittni Rings Bell To Celebrate Cancer Free

August 8, 2018 was a very good day. My daughter Brittni was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (APL) High Risk February 11, 2016 while working at Disney in Orlando, Florida. A day that my family will never forget. But through Brittni's strength and determination, August 8, 2018 was a day to celebrate.

Brittni had 3 teams (about seven per team) of doctors at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida throughout her stay. Each team was with us for two weeks. All of the teams were headed by a most amazing man, Dr. Jeffrey E. Lancet, MD. We had no idea who Dr. Lancet was when we arrived, we had not heard of him or the hospital for that matter. Dr. Lancet turned out to be nationally and internationally recognized for his clinical research in the field of acute leukemias. Without even knowing it, the universe had sent us to the very man who could save Brittni.

Here at home, her doctor is Dr. Ammar Morad, MD. Dr. Morad is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Women's and Children's Hospital in Lafayette, Louisiana. He only sees pediatric patients but agreed to see Brittni who was 22 at the time. We will always be grateful to Dr. Morad for that decision.

Brittni was told very early on, that beating this type of cancer, that without treatment kills in about two weeks, would take 50% science and 50% attitude. She had the best science and her attitude, well I think you know the answer to that one.

Fast-forward a little over two and a half years. On August 8, 2018, here in Lafayette, she rang the bell in Dr. Morad's office announcing her victory. On hand was her mom Deborah, brother Blake, grandparents Ron and Audrey and the proudest dad in the world.

God's blessing to everyone around the world who prayed for Brittni and still do. Thanks to everyone who sent gifts (there were so many that were sent to us in Florida, we could not take everything home. So some of the items were delivered personally by our family to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children in Tampa. The rest is in a storage unit in Maurice, Louisiana.) And thanks to our strong, awesome daughter who decided very early on that she had a lot more living to do. We are so proud of you and we love you.

Brittni is back in school, at ULL, for nursing. Her intent is to work at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa when she gets out.

If you notice unexplained bruising on your body or on that of a loved one, please seek medical attention immediately.

#teambrittni