NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A celebration Tuesday was for a grant to help children who have lived with cancer. Some kids got to take part in the celebration is an especially hands-on way.
Some people are just born loving the camera. Four-year-old Greta is one of them. Greta and her parents posed for a series of pictures at an event at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. Really, it's a great thing for dad Adam Ford and mom Rachel Modahl that Greta's smile is so bright despite everything she's lived.
It was three years ago they came to Vanderbilt. Greta was 18-months-old and had been getting bruises and running a fever.
"As you might imagine, those first days were a blur," Ford told the crowd about his daughter. "Greta's leukemia diagnosis was confirmed overnight. Her chemo treatments started immediately. We helped Greta through steroid treatments, more blood draws than we can count. There are endless horrible thoughts and emotions going through your mind over the course of weeks, months, and in Greta's kind of leukemia, years of treatment."
From the beginning of that journey, the family was meeting with Dr. Kaille Meguiar.
"Dr. Meguiar is our rock," Ford said, looking out in the crowd to see Dr. Meguiar. "The fruit of that progress is nothing less than the hope of countless children and their families."
Greta is now cancer-free.
What brought everyone together Tuesday was Dr. Meguiar getting the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Impact Grant for $100,000. Dr. Meguiar's work will be to study how to improve the mental health of childhood cancer survivors.
Something I didn't mention earlier is Greta loves to paint. It just so happened, Hyundai had a big canvas waiting outside.
Children being treated at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt were allowed to give a Hyundai vehicle a hand painted make-over. One by one, children dipped their hands in paint and put hand prints onto the vehicle.
"Some of the best people we've met have been the patients here," Ford smiled.
Greta didn't want the hospital's Canine Companions service dog, Squid, to feel left out. Greta painted one of his paws so he could put a paw print on the vehicle.
Several children put their hand prints on Dr. Meguiar's lab coat, creating a custom print coat.
"We love her," Modahl said, looking over at Dr. Meguiar showcasing her coat. "That's our personal hero."
"Getting to build these relationships with the patients and the family, it's exactly why I wanted this job," Dr. Meguiar said.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
Music City is built on the talents of songwriters - and I can guarantee you've never seen a better collaboration than this! You'll be cheering and crying... and glad you took time to watch this story. Enjoy!
- Carrie Sharp
