CANCER CENTER
Taylor
diagnosed at 10,
myelodysplastic syndrome and monosomy 7

Ten-year-old Taylor had pneumonia the first day of fourth grade at Sugar Land’s Meadows Elementary and stayed home sick the whole first week. As the year progressed, his mother, Kimberly, worried continually about his ongoing respiratory problems and took Taylor to the doctor over and over again.

In the spring, the family was preparing for an Alaskan cruise, an anniversary celebration with the entire family. The Wilkins, including Taylor, his father Doug, his sister Karly and Kimberly would fly to Vancouver, where they would join relatives for the cruise. Although pale and weak, Taylor seemed in good spirits days before they were to leave.

Just as the ship was leaving port, Taylor’s condition worsened. The ship’s doctor confirmed Taylor was severely anemic and suggested that Taylor might have leukemia or lymphoma. The dream-come-true cruise was rapidly turning into a nightmare.

Much to Kimberly’s dismay, Taylor was too sick to fly directly to Houston. He and his parents disembarked the next day, allowing Karly to stay on board with relatives. Doctors in Ketchikan and then in Seattle took several days to stabilize Taylor and perform numerous tests. Finally Taylor’s condition had improved enough for him to be transported to Houston, directly to Texas Children’s Hospital and into the hands of doctors the family trusted.

“We were so grateful to be finally home,” said Kimberly.

Soon after Texas Children’s doctors reviewed Taylor’s Seattle test results, a social worker met with Kimberly and Doug to deliver the terrible news. Taylor had myelodysplastic syndrome and monosomy 7, a type of leukemia rarely found in children. The treatment would be a bone marrow transplant in addition to intense chemotherapy and radiation. Dr. ZoAnn Dreyer of Texas Children’s Cancer Center would be Taylor’s oncologist.

“Dr. Dreyer’s heart is at Texas Children’s,” Kimberly said. “She was always reassuring and made us feel as if Taylor were her only patient. Dr. Robert Krance in the bone marrow transplant area was wonderful as well.”

Still very ill, Taylor went home to wait until a bone marrow donor could be found, having weekly blood transfusions and checkups. A donor was soon found and Taylor underwent a bone marrow transplant and treatments at Texas Children’s. After months of intense treatment, things seemed to be progressing well until Taylor got an infection in his central line.

“Taylor was admitted to the ICU,” Kimberly said. “He had septic shock and was in critical condition. They put him on a ventilator and he was on kidney dialysis. At that point, we even called the minister.”

“We were just scared to death,” Doug said.

But Taylor weathered the storm and began to recover.

“Taylor’s nurses were just phenomenal,” said Kimberly. “When Taylor finally walked out of his room after spending a month in bed, they cheered.”

Two years later, Taylor is at home and in remission. He seems happy and healthy again, and the family is cautiously optimistic about his condition.

“Every sick child should be taken care of at Texas Children’s,” said Kimberly. “The doctors and nurses worked very hard to make us feel at home there. We are so fortunate to live in Houston, close to such an outstanding children’s hospital.”