Kaleigh nearly had to lose her eyes to save her life. As a newborn, Kaleigh had discoloration between her retinas and was taken to doctor after doctor for answers. Her father had bilateral retinoblastoma when he was a baby, and her parents were concerned it might’ve been passed on. Unfortunately, they were right. The only plan was to eventually remove both her eyes. But Kaleigh’s parents wanted a second opinion. At one week old, her family packed up their lives in Austin, TX and flew the 1,600 miles to Philadelphia, PA with assistance from ALSF’s Travel For Care program. There, they met with a retina specialist who had a plan to save Kaleigh’s eyes and her life. The next six months took Kaleigh back and forth from Texas to Philadelphia for treatment and check-ups. And the plan worked. Today, Kaleigh not only has full vision, she is also cancer-free!
Information provided by Jeanette Hawrylo, Kaleigh’s mom
Updated November 2019
