Corbin third-grader fighting battle against leukemia

Candace Keith, above, is in Kentucky Children’s Hospital being treated for acute myeloid leukemia. She was diagnosed with the disease in August.

The Corbin community is rallying around a local third-grader diagnosed in August with a relatively rare form of cancer who is currently receiving treatment in a Lexington Hospital.

Eight-year-old Candace Keith, a third-grader at Corbin Elementary School, was originally diagnosed with mononucleosis – a fairly common viral infections – in July. But after she had overcome the illness, but was still feeling tired and weak, her parents and doctors suspected there could be other issues.

"She started school normally, but she was just always really sleepy," her mother, Crystal Keith, said in a recent interview. "She would come home every afternoon and go to bed and sleep all evening."

Doctors noticed her lymph nodes were swollen and prescribed antibiotics. Later blood work showed an extraordinarily high white blood cell count of 128,000. The count normally ranges from 4,000 to 8,000.

A bone marrow test revealed the kind of diagnosis every parent fears most.

Candace had acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that causes the rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells "that accumulate in the bone marrow and interfere with the production of normal blood cells."

Crystal Keith, who has been by her daughter’s side at Kentucky Children’s Hospital at the University of Kentucky Medical Center ever since treatment began last month, said everyone is positive about Candace’s chances of beating the disease.

"It’s treatable. She’s responding beautifully," Crystal said. "The doctors, they are optimistic … She’s been a real trooper."

Crystal said her daughter is taking chemotherapy treatments and is doing well. Of course, she has her good days and bad, but preliminary test results show the treatment is working. SheÕs hopeful her daughter will get to go home for a few days later this month before returning to Lexington for more treatments.

On a special Facebook page created to support Candace Keith, called "Praying for Candace ‘Candy Cane’ Keith," regular updates about her are given by family and friends. The page already has 1,029 "likes" and is also a hub for information regarding events that are being held as fundraisers and support functions for Keith and her family. Anyone can view the page and follow along with CandaceÕs progress. There was a special yard sale at First Christian Church over the weekend to help out. On Sept. 17, between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Froyoz promises to donate a portion of sales directly to the Keith family. On Sept. 20, Oui Creperie will be at the You and Me Coffee and Tea shop in downtown Corbin between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. for a similar event.

There is also a 5k benefit run being held Oct. 12, 9:00 a.m. at Corbin High School to support Candace and her family.

Crystal, who is taking a leave of absence from her job as a teacher at Corbin Elementary, said the special events and other acts of kindness are comforting.

"We have amazing friends and family who have just banded together to help us out as much as they can. It’s just amazing," Crystal said. "It’s nice to know that even though we are going through this as a family, the community is behind us as well."

The family has been told Candace will likely be at the hospital for four to five months receiving treatment. Crystal said there are programs there tailored toward keeping children who are receiving longer-term treatment active and engaged. And she is continuing with schoolwork as well. A homebound instructor from the Fayette County School System visits regularly so Candace does not fall behind in her studies.

Crystal is hoping her daughter can return to regular classes in Corbin in February or March.

The family knows that chemotherapy treatments will have the usual unwanted effects on their daughter. Crystal said Kentucky ChildrenÕs Hospital staff has been very good at preparing Candace for things like hair loss and other changes.

"How do you prepare an eight-year-old for that? You just feel helpless," she said. "As a mom, I want to fix this and I can’t fix it. As a parent, you just want to lay down and take it for her."

"We know we can pray about it and we believe that God will take care of things."