An Iowa girl who once had to relearn how to walk after a cancer diagnosis is now back to playing the sports she loves and hopes to one day help other children facing similar battles.
Kaelyn O’Brien of Jesup was 11 years old when her parents, Tammy and Mike, noticed something was seriously wrong. One morning, Kaelyn struggled to walk down the hallway, and her speech became slurred. Fearing she was having a stroke, her parents rushed her to the emergency room.
Initial tests did not reveal the cause of her symptoms, and Kaelyn was transferred to University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital for further evaluation.
During an examination, a resident physician noticed an abnormality around her neck, prompting doctors to conduct additional scans. Those tests revealed a mass on her right lung. Further testing confirmed Kaelyn had Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that affects the immune system.
Doctors also discovered that Kaelyn was experiencing a rare complication called paraneoplastic syndrome. The condition caused her immune system to mistakenly attack her cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for balance, speech and coordination.
Kaelyn began an intensive treatment plan that included chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, fighting cancer was only part of her recovery.
The damage to her cerebellum meant she had to work to regain skills many people take for granted, including walking, writing and buttoning her clothes. Through physical and occupational therapy, she slowly progressed from a wheelchair to a walker and eventually learned to walk independently again.
Her family also found ways to show their support throughout treatment. When Kaelyn’s long hair began falling out from chemotherapy, she donated it. Her father, older brother, uncles and others shaved their heads alongside her.
After two rounds of chemotherapy, a PET scan showed no evidence of disease. Kaelyn continued treatment for two additional cycles to help ensure the cancer was gone.
On August 30, 2024, she rang the bell at Stead Family Children’s Hospital to mark the end of her treatment.
Today, Kaelyn’s cancer is in remission, and she is returning to activities she enjoys, including volleyball, basketball and softball. Now 14 and attending eighth grade, she also enjoys writing stories in language arts class and hopes to become a pediatric oncology nurse.
Kaelyn has also enrolled in a research study focused on paraneoplastic syndrome, hoping her experience can help others facing the rare condition.
Her journey is being recognized through the Kid Captain program, a partnership between University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Now in its 17th year, the program highlights pediatric patients and celebrates their medical journeys and resilience.
Kaelyn’s mother says the hospital team helped the family navigate an uncertain and difficult time, providing care that went beyond treating cancer.
For Kaelyn, the journey has involved far more than completing treatment. It has meant rebuilding her strength, regaining her independence and getting back to being a kid.
For more information about the Kid Captain program, visit uichildrens.org/kid-captain.
Source: University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital
