Meredith Gayanilo, Editor-in-Chief
September 23, 2024
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS—September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness and supporting children and families affected by the disease. Last Friday, on September 13, 2024, Flour Bluff ISD hosted the “Gold Game,” continuing a tradition of over 10 years. Before the game started, students who have survived cancer and those who have passed away were honored.
The following were recognized as they walked with their family and friends onto the field: Madison Beckwith, Zoe Schillinger, Mary Shannon, Nyla Nerren, Tre Maddox, and Kaedon Turner. These students had the opportunity to walk on the field alongside the Football players as they took a knee for them. Meanwhile, Flour Bluff recognized the honorees Lucas Jones, Alyssa Bouve, Trenton Haynes, Layla Sabatini, and Reid Ebram, who are forever in our hearts.
“[It feels good to be recognized.] I personally like it because it shows the younger kids that they are brave and acknowledged for their battles,” High School Junior Madison Beckwith said.
Beckwith was only two years old when her family found out about her cancer. Her mother felt devastation and disbelief, and kept asking the doctors if there was any way they had made a mistake.
“I was full of fear and unable to sleep or eat for many nights,” Mrs. Beckwith said. “I had to decide if she would enroll in a clinical trial that had experimental treatment… Or have her follow a traditional treatment plan.”
The family chose the clinical trial path. This was used to evaluate effectiveness of certain drugs in order to help researchers determine the best possible regimen for her specific type of cancer.
“I chose the clinical trial knowing that the data would help future patients,” Mrs. Beckwith said. “I [also] decided to stop working because I knew she would be hospitalized frequently.”
During the treatment process, the day-to-day routines were very repetitive. Some days, Madison spent 8-10 hours in the clinic getting chemo or blood transfusions.
“There were many difficult days and nights in the hospital,” Mrs. Beckwith said. “I spent many nights sleeping in the hospital bed with her, and I learned to live in a tiny hospital room for weeks at a time.”
To keep her spirits high on the harder days, she had different coping mechanisms or hobbies during her stay.
“This is where my love of gaming began,” Beckwith said. “The hospital had a portable gaming system where I learned how to play Super Mario.”
The family frequently felt helpless to help Madison, because she was often very tired, sick, and in pain from chemo. There was little they could do to change the circumstances.Yet, in those difficult moments, she would unexpectedly amaze them with her strength and resilience.
“There was a phase of treatment that required a 24 hour infusion of a high dose chemotherapy drug,” Mrs. Beckwith said. “She would be hooked up to an IV pole and [was] riding her tricycle full speed down the hospital hallways screeching and laughing at the top of her lungs while her dad ran behind her with the IV pole.”
Among the completion of chemotherapy, patients around the world ring a bell to celebrate treatment completion. This symbolizes hope. Though the times were tough, her parents and chemo nurse stayed by her side through it all. Beckwith was able to ring the bell after 2 and half years on February 12, 2013.
“I could not have done it without my faith, my family, and my friends; I prayed a lot and just focused on [Madison],” Mrs. Beckwith said. “I did my best to put my emotions aside while I was caring for her and I tried to make her life being stuck at the hospital or at home as fun and normal as possible.”
The first activity being cancer free was spent with a big rainbow themed birthday party when she turned 5 years old. The Make-A-Wish Foundation, a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses, was able to grant Beckwith’s wish on a trip to Disney World.
In 2011, 10 months after her diagnosis, Madison and her mother started a project called “Madison’s Rainbow Project,” where toy donations are collected every September for the local hospitals. The community, and especially Flour Bluff Elementary school, have been instrumental in gathering donations for the cause.
“[The project] started because everyday [Madison] would receive a toy or an activity to keep her busy and happy,” Mrs. Beckwith said. “I wanted to make sure other patients would always have something as well.”
Madison has truly overcome an immense obstacle in her life, one that has taught her bravery and determination to never give up. No child should have to endure something so physically and mentally exhausting.
“I hope and pray that she sees that God must have big plans for her life and that she sees His hand in her life,” Mrs. Beckwith said. “I want her to grow up healthy and strong, knowing that she can do and be anything she wants -- no mountain is too high!”
For more information on donating to Madison's Rainbow Project, please see the graphic below:
