Local Girl Beats Cancer
by Kyle Hudson
Last Saturday at the Baptist Church of West Chester, Fern Hill student Molly Davis celebrated a very special birthday. Not only has Molly just turned seven years old, but for the first time since the summer of 2023, her leukemia is in remission.
Laura Davis, Molly’s mother, said it started in June 2023. Molly’s father, Sean, brought her to the pediatrician because she was especially tired and her legs were bruised, among other issues. Molly was referred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) when her tests came back with unusual results, indicating a possible issue with her blood.
“That kind of sent chills down our back,” said Sean. The family immediately headed to CHOP, where Molly underwent six hours of further testing. Just past midnight, they got the news: “I walked in and I could tell,” said Laura. “None of the doctors, none of the nurses, no one would look at me. [They said], come on into this conference room’ and I [said], ‘I’m not going in there’.”
“They pulled Laura and myself into a room,” said Sean, “and let us know [Molly] was diagnosed with leukemia.”
Molly was admitted to CHOP’s oncology department in King of Prussia, where they confirmed her diagnosis and began treatment on the same day. “They hit the ground running from day one,” said Laura.
In July, Molly returned to CHOP after suffering a seizure. “At that point, everything just spiraled out of control,” recounted Laura.
Molly began experiencing new symptoms that kept her at the hospital for the rest of the summer and kept her bedridden for nearly a month. Ultimately, the experience resulted in Molly losing 100% of her mobility. She was admitted to the Seashore House, a specialized physical and occupational therapy facility.
After about a week of rehabilitation therapy, Molly exclaimed, “Hey Mommy, I’m standing!” Laura turned around to see her daughter, who hadn’t moved in quite some time, standing at the edge of her bed.
“This was one of the first big successes and joys for us,” Sean remembered, “to get that positive energy, it was such a big moment for us.”
“From that point, it was like something clicked in her,” said Laura, “she went from just so sad and miserable and sullen, to, like a light switch went off, and she was like, ‘I’m doing this! I want to go to therapy, let’s go!’ It was great.”
With her mind made up, there was no stopping Molly Davis, and she was able to leave the Seashore House a week earlier than anticipated. On October 6th 2023, Molly and her parents were finally able to return home for the first time since that July.
Molly received her final dose of chemotherapy on January 6th of this year. Her cancer is now in remission, though residual treatment will continue for the next two and a half years. In five years, Molly will be considered fully cancer-free.
According to Laura, Molly doesn’t remember receiving her diagnosis, and she looks back at being in the hospital as a positive experience. “The nurses, the staff, the doctors, the child life specialists, they do such a good job of making the child feel at home,” expressed Sean. Molly misses her friends from the hospital and has even asked her parents when she can go back for a sleepover.
Molly’s older brother Cameron didn’t want to talk, but before her party, we spoke with Molly herself and asked her how it feels to be cancer-free. “Happy,” she smiled, sharing that she wants to be a cancer nurse when she grows up. For now, Molly spends her time cooking and taking care of her large collection of baby dolls.