“How long has this been living in her that I didn’t see it?” Tara shares. Both parents open up about the challenges and some of the bright moments of Sienna’s journey with Wilms’ tumor, a rare type of kidney cancer.
TARA
The best part about her being so young is that she doesn't know what she doesn't know. Right. I don't think this'll be a setback in her life. I think it'll be something that shapes her.
CHRIS
It’s her story to own.
CHRIS
All this went down like Christmas Eve last year.
TARA
We were told these things like stage four Wilms’. Right. What's Wilms’? Wilms’ tumor. Yeah. Tumor in the kidneys. It spread to her lungs.
CHRIS
Here's this little body and okay, we're, we're about to take a kidney out.
BOTH
How long has this been living in her that I didn't see it, that I didn't know, that I didn't pick up on it? That she's presented healthy, happy, vibrant. How is this possible? Oh, the guilt. I remember I looked at pictures. Yeah, I've done that too. I've done that too. Her belly, trying to see the picture. Or her eyes were glassy.
CHRIS
I remember just standing in the doorway when she’s sleeping at the end of a treatment day, and I’m like, what did I do wrong? Why does she deserve this? Why did this happen to her?
TARA
I don’t know.
SIENNA
All done with chemo!
TARA
All done with chemo, and how do you feel?
SIENNA
Much better!
CHRIS
The part which should be such a joyous moment is when we were done with treatment. Yeah. It wasn't, and it wasn't. It's anti-climactic. It was really anti-climactic. Stepping out into the unknown has kind of probably shaken me more than I thought it would.
TARA
That's the thing is it's like the fear doesn't subside. It wasn't like a moment where I was afraid. It's continual.
BOTH
Sienna got on the school bus and she just like, peace out. She didn’t even look at us. Like, bye! I was like, excuse me. What about me! She was like, all happy to be buckled in on the school bus. And her sister’s with her. Oh, I’m proud of Georgia. Wearing one of Sienna’s chemo caps. That was so cute.
BOTH
It’s what we want. We want her in the world. We want her to be healthy. We want her living her best four-year-old life. I mean, it’s all good signs, right? It’s all great signs.