Mary’s Story: Saved Twice by Lurie Children’s Cardiology and Cancer Experts

This fall, Mary settled in at university in the state of Illinois, eager to begin her sophomore year. While undergoing cancer treatment the year prior, Mary took classes online and pursued a degree in community health. She hopes that one day, she’ll work at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, the hospital that saved her life not once, but twice. 

As a toddler, Mary was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy. She underwent a heart transplant with the experts in Lurie Children’s Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation Program, one of the best and busiest in the United States. Though more than 15 years ago, Mary’s family still remembers the caregivers and child-focused activities that carried them through that time. 

Mary went on to enjoy a healthy childhood and adolescence. But in the summer of 2023, just after high school graduation, she experienced sudden weight loss and became quite ill. As part of a routine heart transplant clinic appointment at Lurie Children’s, her team ordered CT scans. The scans showed several enlarged lymph nodes, which were later biopsied. The day before Mary was set to attend university, she received the official diagnosis: Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma. 

New Diagnosis, Same Expertise 

Though Mary felt overwhelmed by the diagnosis, “it was a huge comfort to be in a familiar place,” she said.  

She was in capable hands: Lurie Children’s Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program has performed more than 1,500 stem cell transplants, making it one of the United States’ largest pediatric programs of its kind. Under the care of the stem cell transplantation, oncology and nephrology teams, Mary began targeted chemotherapy treatments and prepared for a stem cell transplant using her own cells.

In January 2024, she was admitted to the hospital to begin conditioning chemo in preparation for her stem cell transplant. By the end of the month, she received her stem cells that had been harvested in the fall. Mary’s health slowly started to improve once the cells grafted. Throughout it all, Mary worked hard to regain her strength with physical and occupational therapies and expressed herself through art therapy. By spring, she was healthy and strong enough to return home with her family.  

Mary had the chance to celebrate her cancer-free status after many months of check-ups. In August 2024, she gathered with her friends, family and providers to ring the end-of-chemo bell. 

“It was exciting knowing all my doctors were coming down and celebrating with me,” she said.  

Lurie Children’s Heart Center and International Patient Services Department

In 2024, Lurie Children’s ranked #1 in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Children’s Hospitals 2024.

Lurie Children’s International Patient Services (IPS) Department works with families like Mary’s around the world who are seeking specialized pediatric healthcare services. 

IPS is committed to providing family-centered care through every interaction, from referral through treatment and the patient’s journey home. 

At every step, IPS provides patients and their families with support in their own language, through certified Interpreters in-person, via video and by telephone.

www.luriechildrens.org/en/patients-visitors/international-patient-care