Cece has a larger than life personality. She is extremely persistent and determined, and loves her stuffed skunk, Skunky, who has been to every doctor's appointment and hospital stay during her childhood cancer battle. Her interests range from playing with LEGOs to riding her bike, and she enjoys painting. She also likes her iPad, playing Roblox, Barbies, Play-Doh, and most importantly, playing with her younger siblings, Lily and Andrew.

In April 2018, Cece, who was 3 at the time, started acting funny. She experienced multiple fevers, joint pain, excessive sweating, extreme weight loss and fatigue. Her mom, Lexy, took her to multiple doctors and the ER twice, but the symptoms were always thought to be growing pains. Lexy was frustrated because she knew something wasn't right. Cece would be up for hours at night screaming that her stomach and legs hurt. She even had a limp. Finally, Lexy took Cece to a new pediatrician in June 2018, who recognized something was very wrong and referred them to hematology.

From there everything moved quickly, and on June 26, 2018, Cece was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She started treatment immediately. At age 5 she was receiving treatment once a month for her long-term maintenance care, as well as daily and weekly chemotherapy medications. In August 2020, she finished her chemotherapy treatment, and today she is starting 2nd grade while celebrating being three years off treatment!

Cece is her parents’ hero because she never lost her spunk. Even when there were things she didn't want to do, she pushed through and is so strong because of that. If her parents ever don’t want to do something, they always remind themselves of Cece’s bravery. It might have been very difficult for everyone involved but Cece never lost her will to fight. She's an inspiration to her whole family for everything she has been through, at such a young age.

Cancer is a crazy, hectic, scary journey, and Lexy wants other families who may be facing a childhood cancer diagnosis to know that it is okay to ask and accept help from others. Family, friends, other parents, and so many foundations are out there to listen and support you. Having a foundation by their side that understands and cares like Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) has meant so much to them. ALSF provided information and help during Cece's diagnosis when her dad, Tim, stopped working, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and today they are an Ambassador for the Foundation. It also gave Cece’s parents a way to teach her about giving back through holding a lemonade stand. In 2019, Cece and her famly held their first stand and raised nearly $8,000 for children like Cece. "It reminded me of all the good people in the world and that they were supporting my fighter," said Lexy. To them, ALSF means hope - hope for their family, and hope for all kids to recieve better medicine.

"I'm a real superhero!" - Cece

Information provided by Lexy Kmiecik, Cece’s mom
Updated August 2022