By Jenny Farley
“We’ve always said that she’s been sent directly from heaven.”
Two days after performing in a dance recital, doctors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) diagnosed Jess Ames’ sweet daughter Savannah with cancer.
She was in first grade.
A Mother’s Instinct
At just 6 years old, Savannah began experiencing changes that concerned her mother. Although there were initially other explanations for what Savannah was experiencing, Jess felt something wasn’t right.
Trusting her maternal instincts, she brought Savannah to the emergency room, where she received news no parent could ever prepare for.
“I will always be grateful I took her when I did, obviously never expecting earth-shattering news. Parents, listen to your gut. If you feel something is wrong, it probably is.”
A Young Brother Supports his Older Sister
Savannah loves dancing and singing, playing soccer and spending time with her younger brother Mason, who was three years old when she was diagnosed.
On many days he was her only playmate. To avoid germs, she had to quarantine after receiving treatment and stay away from other children.
When child life specialists at CHOP explained medical things to Savannah, they taught Mason too.
“Watching him interact with her, it just made me so proud that such a little tiny person can also walk through this journey with his sister and seem to understand on a certain level what she’s going through, especially at such a young age.”
Blood Transfusions Came as a Surprise to Savannah’s Mom
In the past year and a half Savannah has had many surgeries and procedures. She has had radiation and chemotherapy, but there was a part of her treatment her mother never expected.
“It just didn’t occur to me that she would actually need a blood transfusion ever.”
Chemo weakened Savannah’s immune system and lowered her hemoglobin count, leaving her weak and tired.
Jess remembers seeing boxes of blood at CHOP that came from the American Red Cross. Seeing that blood flowing into her daughter’s veins felt “eerie” at first.
Before Savannah’s blood transfusions, Jess said it had never crossed her mind that kids and adults may need blood after chemotherapy.
“I probably honestly wouldn’t ever have donated, which sounds horrible, but that’s the reality of it.”
After each blood transfusion, within a day or two Savannah seemed to be her “happy self” again. As her hemoglobin count climbed, she had more energy.
She “went about her day as if she wasn’t even being treated for cancer.”
Jess felt grateful to the donors who made it possible for her little girl to be happy and goofy again.
“Someone that I will never know and that she will never know, took it upon themselves to just donate their blood and this instance for people that need it.”
Savannah Ames received three blood transfusions after chemotherapy. Her mom Jess Ames is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive in honor of Savannah and to help kids like her who have cancer. “This is to help children get to the next cycle of their treatment in order to be able to live a healthy life.” Submitted photo
Turning Gratitude into Action
Before Savannah’s cancer, Jess had not donated blood because of her fear of needles, but seeing her child suffer through at least 100 needle sticks made her donate for the first time.
“Once you witness your own six-year-old daughter start her journey, nothing matters.” She said, “I would do it every day if I could.”
You can donate whole blood every 56 days. Cancer patients often need platelets and you can donate those every 7 days, up to 24 times a year.
Jess has a new mission: helping the Red Cross collect blood so that no child with cancer will ever be without it.
“After seeing what Savannah went through and knowing that some children face even greater challenges during chemotherapy, I just want blood to always be available for anyone who needs it.”
Throughout Savannah’s treatment, Jess, who went to Catholic school, helps her family cope by learning to take life one hour at a time and relying on her faith.
“Turning to God, I asked for so many signs, and He delivered on so many occasions, and our sign was I always found a lucky penny.”
She especially likes discovering them at CHOP.
A Blood Drive in Honor of Savannah
On Friday, Nov. 6, at Saint Aloysius Church Gathering Center, Jess and the Red Cross will host a blood drive in honor of Savannah from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The church is located at 223 Beech St. in Pottstown.
Jess hopes the blood drive will become an annual event. Many of her family members will be donating for the first time at the drive.
If you would like to donate blood to help kids like Savannah, please call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767), or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter Savannah to schedule an appointment. You can also download the Blood Donor app which shows you the places your blood ends up.
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