Five Year Old Cancer Patient Leaves Hundreds of Notes for Her Family
Categories: Kids 5-7, In the news
When five-year-old Elena Desserich was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, she set out to help her family deal with her death in a truly remarkable way. The kindergartener started writing -- she created "The Kindergarten Survival Guide" for younger sister Grace -- and drawing.When Elena's cancer robbed her of the ability to speak, she used drawing and painting to communicate with her family. One of her paintings, titled "I Love You," was hung in the Cincinnati Art Museum, next to a painting by Pablo Picasso, one of Elena's favorite artists.
But she also wrote hundreds of notes for her family and hid them in various places around their home in Wyoming; her parents didn't know about the notes until after Elena died. "We were moving some boxes around one day and in between some of the books a note fell out," recalls mom Brooke Desserich. "Each time I would read one of those notes, it was like a little hug from her."
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It's no surprise that Elena turned to writing to stay connected to her family. In the nine months between Elena's diagnosis and her death in August of 2007, her parents were also using writing to cope. The couple kept an online journal, chronicling their daughter's illness and their own struggles to come to terms with the inevitable. To their surprise, thousands of people read the journal and reached out to the Desserichs. "Everybody was reading the journal and going, 'This taught me to be a better parent. It taught me to spend time with my children, it taught me to value being a mom and dad,'" marveled Elena's dad, Keith Desserich.
Keith and Brooke Desserich have turned their journal and Elena's notes into a book, "Notes Left Behind." They have also started a foundation called The Cure Starts Now to raise money for pediatric brain cancer. My heart goes out to them -- I also have a kindergartener who likes to draw and leave little notes around for me to find -- but I have to admire the way they were able to teach Elena to see her life as joyful, and not as a tragedy. They really are inspiring parents.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
barb 12-29-2008 @ 2:13PM
Oh my god, this story really brought tears to my eyes. How could a 5 year old be so smart & so caring as to do that? It just amazes me.
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Nicole 1-02-2009 @ 2:25AM
Children are smarter than most adults will ever know. We do not give them enough credit or take the time to listen to them. We don't let them make enough choices either. If you let them and see what they would do, you will see that most of the time they will make very good choices.
Robert 1-22-2009 @ 10:45PM
That little girl was a GODSEND ! My mother Brenda has lung cancer and it hurts me to see how weak she is sometimes but to see my mom go through any pain hurts me alot ! I cant imagine what the parents of this beautiful little girl went through. I'm sorry for the loss of your little girl and it kills me that there's no cure and if there is one that it's hidden because of profits in money ! I wish you well and hope your daughters letters bring comfort to you what a thoughtful little girl she was or actually is because she is with you always !
Bruce 2-08-2009 @ 7:34AM
There truly are angels among us. This is dedicated to one of them, dear Elena, in the spirit of helping others as she did so beautifully. To learn the details about a simple and effective natural cancer therapy, which crosses the blood brain barrier, has a chemical structure which prevents cancer cells from developing a resistance to its action, and has yielded often impressive results in treating a variety of cancers, including leukemia, breast, colon, lung, prostate, brain cancer (including left frontal glioblastoma), and more, and which according to one M.D. with an international reputation has "stabilized, improved, or remitted" every cancer patient he has followed, with the exception of patients very near death, go to: http://forums.healthiertalk.com/viewforum.php?f=13 and click on page 3. Then scroll down to the thread entitled, "Artemisinin - a Simple and Effective, Natural Cancer Therapy" by Beach Man and read the entire thread, including the info/articles/case history summaries at the provided Links. The posts/replies by Beach Man are written in concise and clear user friendly language to enable anyone to get started right away if necessary, and include a medically documented explanation of how it works, how to use it, where to obtain the recommended fully potent brands at the best price, etc. Information is also provided about how to locate an integrative physician experienced in such therapy.
Shevonne 12-29-2008 @ 3:09PM
This is beautiful. It definitely brought tears to my eyes. Letters are powerful.
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ninainindia 12-29-2008 @ 11:23PM
That's so sweet of her to leave notes for her family to help them cope. I wish they didn't put them in a book though, those notes were personal.
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beth 12-30-2008 @ 7:32AM
No the notes are a learning tool for mankind, and shows the brilliance in the untainted minds of children.
Erin M. 12-30-2008 @ 9:12AM
I see it differently... I see it as a way to inspire others. I mean, they got such a great response from what they did share, I understand why they'd want to give more.
It's a beautiful story, and to me it just sounds like the parents are proud.
JANE 1-23-2009 @ 2:20AM
ninainindia, I think the parents were doing a good deed by putting the letters in the book. Maybe they thought the letters could help someone that has lost a child. They would not publish them if they wanted to keep them to their selves.
JUDY WRIGHT 12-30-2008 @ 7:29AM
What a beautiful story! How heartbreaking for this child to have passed from this life so early in her journey. Not to be overlooked is how sensitive and astute this child was at such an early age....one can only imagine what a precious, wonderful adult she would have been! Just imagine what we all have lost with the passing of this angel......the untold bounties of this child's life as an adult, that have been lost to us all, with only a small glimps at her sensitive character! The things she could have been!! The things she could have done!! Her presence among us, even for such a very short while, was a blessing. Talk about "Touched by an Angel"!!!!!
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nicoblue 12-30-2008 @ 7:31AM
OK, cry for the rest of the day and remember to be a better person. God Bless the little Angel.....
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Pam 12-30-2008 @ 7:34AM
This almost made me cry too. What an intelligent little girl. Even the fact that she can write at 5. I wish they had put some of her writings in the article. Things like that should be put in books just to help other parents and childdren cope. I think it was nice of the parents to do that. God Bless the family and Elena.
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valarie 12-30-2008 @ 9:11AM
I too agree that she was an amazing gift to earth. To her family and friends I express my heart, but just know that she was an ANGEL on loan to your family and to humanity for that short season. She was obviously sent from GOD for this short time to TOUCH and to TEACH us all just how to live and also how to die. My God "WHAT dignity and what grace coming from a mere child." I am a kindergarten teacher and oh how I wish that adults could really see this world through the see of a child. Children are filled with widsom and right here this was demonstrated for us in the way this baby girl LIVED and the way she DIED. As we approach 2009 may we, all who read of this story, begin to live life to its fullest and LOVE as best we can. We all have our crosses to carry in this life, but this example give us by this child can teach us how to do it right. Valarie your VITFRIEND (vitfriend.com)
Alex 12-30-2008 @ 8:58AM
God bless her! Its amazing she can do all of that at age 5! Its so sad! God bless her and her family!
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Carei Powell 12-30-2008 @ 9:17AM
She was an angel on earth apparently. I think some people are just too good for this world. She was one of them.
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Danielle 12-30-2008 @ 9:59AM
My daughter Sarah was diagnosed with cancer at age 7, she is 3 years in remission and doing well, I am so blessed to have her and thank god everyday for my precious gift..... Take a moment to appreciate what you have and be thankful. I too kept a journal of that year while she was in treatment and to this day I have not gone back to read it. Maybe one day I will be brave enough to do that!
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Rhonda 12-30-2008 @ 10:01AM
OMG .... I can't stop crying. This amazing little angel. What a wonderful thing she did for her family.
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Valerie 12-30-2008 @ 10:13AM
My little gift is now 3 and I cherish every moment with her! What a wonderful story of courage and love!
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Pete 12-30-2008 @ 11:06AM
The article hit home for me.As of August of this year,my daughter was diagnosed with CML,a type of leaukimiea(sorry if spelled wrong).She is 15 years old. It is a cancer of the blood.Lucklily we caught it early enough to where it is treatable,but as of now,there is no cure. She has to take medication for the rest of her life & I hope it will be a long one. For now,the cancer is in check,but it could at any time take a turn for the worse. Thankfully,she is strong & treats each day as if was normal.If you were to talk to & see her,you wouldn't know she has this disease.She's living life as your typical teenage girl,& as her father,drives me crazy,but I can deal with it.
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jrio 12-30-2008 @ 11:43AM
Everything that I want to say, was already said in the previous 16 comments. I'm speechless and full of tears.
All I want to say is that I wish the world was full of more angels like this little gir!
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