A benevolent fund for
Kaylee Cox has been
established at
Washington Mutual Bank
in Silverton
By Linda Whitmore
A year ago Kaylee Cox was bald and beautiful, today she’s strong, confident – and sporting a fashionable bob hairstyle. Just turned 11 on New Year’s Eve, Kaylee has been through an ordeal during the past two years. She’s been poked, prodded, zapped and medicated, but for the most part, all that is history.
Kaylee, the daughter of Mark and Laurie Cox of Silverton, was diagnosed with Medullo blastoma, a brain tumor, in September 2006. She immediately underwent brain surgery, followed by more than a year of radiation and chemotherapy.
Our Town published a story about her in December 2007, shortly after her last chemo treatment. At the time, she was strong in spirit, but her body was weak.
The surgery had been in the area of the brain that is the command center for the senses and had left her with sight problems and partial paralysis. She wore leg braces and glasses and was fed through a gastric tube.
She still uses the tube, although she can get by without it for a few days at a time. Her loss of appetite makes eating difficult. With restored eyesight, the glasses are gone and with increasing balance and leg strength, she doesn’t have to wear the braces all of the time.
A recent reevaluation of her physical rehabilitation demonstrated remarkable progress, said her father, Mark Cox. Kaylee goes to a Salem clinic once a week for physical therapy; the occupational therapy sessions have concluded.
She’s strong enough to attend regular classes. Kaylee’s a fifth grader in Mrs. Alden’s class at Robert Frost Elementary School.
“She’s back in school with her peers – she didn’t skip a beat despite being out of school for two years. The tutoring worked,” said her dad.
Kaylee especially enjoys art and recently received accolades for one of her works. She drew a colorful picture of a hibiscus flower, which was auctioned at the recent Food, Wine and Wishes event in Portland, the largest regional fundraiser for the Make A Wish Foundation.
Bidding was hot and her work drew $1,700 for the foundation. Mark said the organization’s goal was to raise $300,000 and the event exceeded the goal.
The Cox family has a fondness for Make A Wish, which sent them all – Kaylee is the youngest of eight – to Hawaii, where her mother was raised. There Kaylee met the grandfather she had never seen and multitudes of cousins and kin. “It’s been 25 years since I had been there,” said Laurie.
“It was a big family reunion, a party all the time we were there,” said Mark.
The joyful occasion was the highlight of what had been a stress-filled year. There were so many treatments, doctors’ visits, medications and therapy sessions. Mark had taken on the role of round-the-clock caregiver while Laurie balanced the needs of the other members of the busy household – there are four children and one little grandson at home.
For more than a year, Mark gave up his occupation as a securities trading consultant – and when he tried to return, the recession had hit.
“It’s been a dismal year,” he said. “The market’s been brutal.”
His investment business crashed, and the family is still faced with mountains of medical bills. Mark recently started a photography business, doing wedding, special events and high school senior photos. His Web site, markcox@ smugmug.com, has information.
As for community help, there is a benevolent account for Kaylee at Washington Mutual Bank. Those who wish to make a contribution toward the medical expenses can contact the bank for information.
After the Cox family received word a year ago that Kaylee is free of cancer, the family experienced relief, jubilation and gave thanks to God who is an important factor in their lives. Mark said he rejoiced – then had “a meltdown.” All the sublimated stress and pent-up anxiety came to the surface. The situation took a toll on him and for the past year he has been beset by financial worry and ill health.
But there have been positive impacts on the family, too. Two of Kaylee’s sisters are considering careers in medical fields. Kara, 15, said she might become a physical therapist and Mindy, 18, is a student at Chemeketa, with the goal of getting into the nursing program to be a pediatric nurse.
“It’s pretty much all because of Kaylee,” Kara said.
As for Kaylee, she seems to have had enough of hospitals. She’d like to be an art teacher.
When asked what she would say to a child who was diagnosed with brain cancer, she said she would tell him, “Don’t be afraid.”
