In spring 2019, Hayleigh’s parents first brought her to local physicians when she developed a stubborn cough. An X-ray revealed a mysterious mass in her chest. At just five years old, Hayleigh was soon diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare pediatric cancer of the nervous system that affects about 700 children in the U.S. annually.
“I heard the words no parent wants to hear,” said Summer Romero, Hayleigh’s mother. “‘Mom you’re going to want to see this.’ A mass was present in her chest. We quickly moved through all local doctors and hospitals and ultimately sent everything we had to Memorial Sloan Kettering where their admitting department got us an appointment for the next day. Four days after finding the mass in her chest, we were meeting with the top doctors in the world.”
View this post on Instagram
Five years after beating a rare childhood cancer, Hayleigh is giving back to the hospital that cured her. On St. Patrick’s Day next year, Hayleigh’s aunt and godmother, Bethany Smith, will run the New York City Half Marathon to raise money for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where the young girl was treated after the shocking diagnosis in 2019 that upended her family’s life.
Hayleigh’s aunt, Bethany Smith, a realtor with Town & Country Real Estate, helped organize the charity campaign called Team Hayleigh. Their goal is to raise $13,100 for cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering, one of the nation’s most renowned cancer hospitals and research centers. They have already raised nearly $5,000 from friends, family, and supporters on Long Island who were moved by Hayleigh’s story — their goal is within reach.
“We are here to raise awareness for those that have won, those who have lost, and for those who are still fighting,” Smith wrote online about her niece’s journey.
“Hayleigh was braver than any 5-year-old should ever have to be,” Smith said.
Now 6 and cancer-free, Hayleigh is paying her good fortune forward by supporting other children still battling the disease. Her Team Hayleigh has already raised nearly $5,000 for Memorial Sloan Kettering ahead of next March’s half marathon. Hayleigh sometimes even joins her aunt in training on runs and walks for the big event, giving deeper meaning to every step and mile.
“We are forever grateful,” Smith said, for the hospital that saved Hayleigh. The funds raised by Team Hayleigh will support both pediatric cancer research and patient services at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
Those who would like to, donate here.
