In the United States, 1 in 285 youngsters will be given a cancer diagnosis before they reach age 20. Although the survival rates have increased, cancer continues to be the leading cause of disease-related death in children in the United States. Both the children and their families experience stress and agony during the course of treatment. Therefore, it is a big relief for everyone involved to be declared cancer-free and no longer need chemotherapy. When children and their parents finish the course of treatment, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, hosts a “no more chemo” celebration for them.
Kyla, who was only four years old when she first arrived at St. Jude, was diagnosed with “an aggressive” brain tumor, which is a condition that carries a high risk of “treatment failure and recurrence.” However, after more than eight months of treatment, test results revealed that Kyla’s tumor had reacted remarkably to treatment, and it was therefore time to send her home. Kyla wished for her oncologist, Dr. Santosh Upadhyaya, to participate in the “no more chemo” party. According to People, she was overjoyed at the pleasant surprise she received when her doctor appeared in the guise of a pink unicorn. A neuro-oncology care coordinator at St. Jude named Joni Holdiness stated that Kyla’s mother brought in a pink unicorn dress for the doctor to wear. She stated, “We had all talked about it, but they did not know until the day that she had actually gotten the outfit.”
When Kyla saw her doctor, she was “very delighted” to see him dressed up as a unicorn. A pediatric neuro-oncologist named Dr. Upadhyaya said, “I was just wondering how Kyla is going to react and, is she even going to recognize me in this outfit? That was the first time that I think I had seen her so happy.” He described seeing Kyla grin as his “greatest joy.” The scene was captured on camera, and it has since been circulating widely on social media. In the video, the doctor entered the room while wearing an inflated costume, and then he greeted his happy patient who was wearing a tutu by giving her a great hug. After that, the band performs a song particularly for Kyla, which ends with the words “pack up your bags, get out the door – you don’t get chemo anymore.”
The doctor in the pink unicorn costume also visited other children in the hospital. Holdiness described the day as “simply an absolutely fantastic time.” Celebrations with the theme “no more chemo” carry a lot of weight for the children who have finished their treatment.
The extremely positive video has received more than 200,000 views on Facebook and has prompted a variety of responses from viewers. Many people spoke highly of the hospital and of Dr. Upadhyaya for the excellent care that they gave to cancer patients who were youngsters.