VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A climb to crush cancer.
Last week 10 On Your Side introduced you to 14-year-old Michaeyla Nadeau, who lost her leg to bone cancer. She is now showing us how she refuses to let that stand in her way to living a normal life.
Part of our Crush Cancer campaign is to tell Michaeyla’s story.
It’s a great story of setback, fighting back and never giving up, and she takes us to one of her favorite places to show how giving up isn’t in her plan.
It finally happened on April 9, when Michaeyla got a prosthetic leg.
“It was an awesome experience.” This happened more than four years after she was diagnosed with bone cancer.
“Getting the leg cast fitted was great,” she said while surrounded by her sisters.
She got the leg four months after losing her leg in November. “I can’t even put into words how great it was … because after four years not being mobile like everyone else taking, those first steps were amazing.”
Amazing because she had a tough choice for anyone no less a 14 years old. “It was either my limb or my life, so I chose my limb to save my life.”
Michaeyla has three younger sisters: Merida, who is 6, Madalynne, 7, and Mackenzie, who is 8.
“It was a concern at first. I heard she had cancer, and she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, but I am very happy for her now that she has her prosthetic leg,” Mackenzie says about Michaeyla.
There’s such symbolism climbing a mountain, so Michaeyla brought us to the closest mountain she knows, which is Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach.
“I brought you guys out here to show you how I walk up that big hill there.”
Film Director Karyn Kusama wrote:
“There’s no glory in climbing a mountain if all you want to do is to get to the top.
It’s experiencing the climb itself — in all its moments of revelation, heartbreak and fatigue — that has to be the goal.”
Michaeyla told us, “what we do is walk up there as a family, and when we get up there, we lay down, and take in all the beauty.”
Of sisters it is written: “No matter how much you argue, you cannot be drawn apart. A sister is a joy that cannot be taken away. Once she enters your life, she is there to stay.”
We asked Mackenzie why she looks up to Michaeyla.
“Because she is an awesome sister. She is awesome, just everything about her … I have learned from her through hard times she can get through it. I think she sets an awesome example. She is the best person, and the strongest person.”
It was a day at Mount Trashmore we will remember forever because of who we were there with.
“It is a symbolism a representation of my battle, and the fight against cancer, and it is a huge accomplishment for me to climb this mountain.”
A Personal Note:
Join the fight to Crush Cancer. Go online to WAVY.com and go to the Crush Cancer page.
Michaeyla and I are racing to see who can raise the most money. Thanks to your efforts, she has raised $2,470, already over her $2,000 goal. I on the other hand am only at $50, but my dear friend FM 99’s Rick “the magnificent” Rumble just kicked in $100. Thanks to Rick and all of you who are helping raise money for cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Every dollar raised goes towards cancer research. Together we will fight and beat this terrible disease.
