After 7-Year-Old Girl Diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer, Teammates Shave Their Heads To Show Support
Cancer often seems like such an incredibly unfair disease. Sure, sometimes we can anticipate it by looking at an individual’s lifestyle or genetics.
Other times, though, it seems to sneak up on us, appearing out of the proverbial blue. And no time does it appear more unfair than when it affects children.
That’s exactly what happened to a girl from Arizona. According to KTVK, Leighton Accardo of Chandler, Arizona, was diagnosed with stage four cancer.
Such a diagnosis is nasty enough when one is old and full of years. But young Leighton is only 7 years old.
According to a post on the Arizona Hockey Union Facebook page, after having stomach issues, Leighton went to the ER, where she was diagnosed with Malignant Germ cell tumors.
While investigating her illness, doctors discovered that the cancer had spread throughout her body. Leighton had the fight of her life on her hands.
“They discovered multiple masses throughout her abdomen, in her liver and on her lungs,” Carly Accardo, her mom, told KTVK. “They started [chemotherapy] the next day.”
The rigors of treatment must’ve been difficult for Leighton. The young girl was an avid athlete.
She played hockey and softball regularly. So it made perfect sense for her to head back to the field to watch her chums play.
This time, though, her friends had something special in mind for her. As a show of solidarity, they decided to shave their own heads to match hers.
They came to a game with signs that bore the slogan #ShavinforLeighton.
On her Facebook page, Tina Hill Royer, who attended the event, wrote, “This is what it looks like to have an army behind you fighting the biggest fight of your life! Easily over 100 heads shaved, including five girls.
A 7-yr-old Arizona girl was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer & couldn’t play softball anymore. She decided to shave her head, but her 2 best girl friends & teammates didn’t want her to be alone…so they shaved their heads too. Then the boys joined in.
I’m not crying, you’re crying pic.twitter.com/U4vokZESaM
— Briana Whitney (@BrianaWhitney) May 29, 2019
“Softball, baseball, hockey, and ice skating teams coming together to support Leighton. We love you, Lei Lei!”
As a trio of her chums held hands right before they bid adieu to their hair, Leighton said, “Thank you, guys.” One said, “Well, I wanted to be supportive of Leighton, and we’re really good friends, and I just wanted to help her.”
They weren’t the only ones to have the clippers shave their heads clean. Her two coaches also joined in.
“I’m not scared. My friends are here with me right now,” Leighton said.
Showing what she wore on her wrist, she added, “This is my bracelet. It says, ‘You are strong. You are brave. You got this.’ I’m brave, yeah!”
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