Payton is an 11-year-old girl who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on November 8, 2012. She lives in Pittsburg, KS with her parents, Shane and Amy, and her younger twin siblings, Brody and Sydney. She received her chemotherapy from Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, which is located two hours north of her hometown. After failing to go into remission after her induction cycle treatment, Payton's doctors changed her course of treatment. She needed a bone marrow transplant, however she needed to be in remission first. She underwent two rounds of very aggressive chemotherapy in December 2012 and January 2013, both of which did not get her into remission. She was very fortunate to be accepted into a T-cell clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. Within a matter of hours from being dismissed from CMH, she and her mother were packing their bags for a six-week stay in Maryland. Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation stepped in and paid for both of their flights from Kansas City to Maryland. Her family is so grateful for their support during this challenging time in their lives. They are excited to say that the clinical trial put Payton in complete remission! She underwent a bone marrow transplant at CMH on April 3, 2013 and is currently doing very well and recovering at home. On July 12, Payton will have reached Day 100 post-transplant! Her brother Brody was her bone marrow donor. Payton’s family is so impressed with the good work that Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation provides for families of children with cancer. They will always hold a special place in their hearts for Alex and the Foundation. It made a big impact on the financial strain of this difficult journey.

Payton, along with her brother and sister, held their very first “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” in front of their dad’s office on June 8, 2013! They had so much fun and plan to make this an annual event!

The Kannarr Family 

Updated: June 2013