Seventeen-year-old Brianna “Bri” Bullock of Dothan, Alabama was excited to start her junior year in high school this August. However, bouts of lingering headaches and dizziness prompted Bri and her parents to consult a doctor.
Days later, the doctor called and urged the family to take Bri to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham for a bone marrow biopsy because of abnormalities in her blood work.
The results of the biopsy confirmed Bri had Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a rare and fast-growing blood cancer.
Due to the rapid progression of the disease, Bri and her family started treatment immediately, with her first of five rounds of chemotherapy administered only a few days later.
Dana (Bri’s mom), Curtis (Bri’s dad), and Lori (Bri’s stepmom), and Bri have stayed off-and-on at the Ronald McDonald House since September. The family is so thankful that the House is just one block from the hospital, as well as for the nightly meals, support and care offered at the House.
Dana finds solace in our outdoor patio/playground area where she can get a calming dose of fresh air after a long day at the hospital.
Bri’s prescribed high dosage chemo regimen has taken a toll on her physically and emotionally, with nausea, episodes of vision loss, and kidney stones becoming common occurrences. Through it all, her parents say she stays very positive and that she likes making jokes with the doctors and nurses.
In between rounds of chemo, Bri and her family recover at home, where Bri enjoys life as an average teenager, hanging out with her boyfriend, painting, drawing, and making bracelets.
During treatment, she has also been able to Zoom into several of her classes to stay connected with her peers and continue her education. Bri hopes to rejoin her class in the spring, following completion of chemo in January!
Bri and her family can only be together and so close to her care team because of the continued support from people like you! Please make a gift today to help RMHC of Alabama continue providing her family and those like her a place of comfort during medical treatment.
