Marguerite's Story

"My parents saw a bump on my neck in the summer of 2023, and they thought it was from a sore throat. I had to take this nasty medicine, but it didn’t help. On Halloween, I went to the doctor, we did some scans, and the next week they told me I needed surgery.” This is Marguerite, 11, describing how she was diagnosed, at age nine, with SMARCB1/INI1, a very rare type of sarcoma. 

"I did six rounds of chemo, and it took seven months; I also did radiation for eight weeks. For school, I had Zoom classes when I wasn’t at the hospital.” When I asked Marguerite how she felt about her diagnosis, she said, "I wasn’t confused, but I was scared and kind of sad. Mostly scared." As we discussed what it was like during treatment, she told me how she couldn’t really go in public or see people because of germs, so instead she focused on staying on track with school, her health, and growing her hair back. 

Marguerite, who enjoys gymnastics, cheer, and dance, as well as listening to Sabrina Carpenter and Gracie Abrams, said, “Friends brought me a bunch of gifts, wrote me cards, and came to visit. It made me happy and excited when they came to visit because I didn’t get to see them that much." A group of friends and family made hot pink 'team Marguerite' bracelets to show their support, and another group of kids made her a paper chain of encouraging notes. 

As the third of five siblings, Marguerite, now in remission, is a walking miracle with a spunky personality. She spoke openly about her journey and was very excited to share her experience at the finish line. After finishing radiation, "I got to smack this chime and write my name on the wall. It felt good, and my family was there. When I was done with chemo, I brought my nurses cupcakes. I rang the bell and ran through a tunnel. It felt good because I could get on with my life.” 

Marguerite and I discussed how she leaned on her faith during such a difficult journey. She said she loved to read her devotional called Jesus Calling and shared the verse her dad would say in the car every day: Psalm 118:24, which says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I asked how Marguerite felt about this verse, and she said, "It means whatever happens in the day, God made this day, and you can be happy about it.” 

As we wrapped up our discussion, she enthusiastically shared her goals now that she is regaining her strength. Trying out for middle school cheer and leveling up in dance and gymnastics are top priorities. Marguerite also dreams of creating a beauty brand or opening a beauty store. Her favorite makeup and skincare brands are Glow Recipe, Summer Fridays, and Rare Beauty. 

I asked Marguerite how she has stayed resilient throughout her journey, “I've always been confident, but I feel stronger and braver. You never know what someone's going through, so I'm more empathetic." Before jumping out of her seat to play with her siblings and cousins, Marguerite offered this piece of advice to other girls with cancer or going through a difficult period in their lives: "God will help you in the future, and right now you need to trust His plan for you and know that everything will be OK!"