TOLEDO, Ohio — September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, more than 10,400 children under 15 years old across the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
Jeni Monroe and her identical twin daughters Averyana and Adriyana have all had battles with cancer.
Averyana and Adriyana both fought Acute myeloid leukemia, a rare cancer, at two years old. Unfortunately, Adriyana passed away, while Averyana went into remission. Jeni was battling cancer too and also went into remission.
Averyana and Jeni will both be celebrating their birthdays on Sept. 21; Averyana will turn nine years old. But, September is also Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
"Just make sure everybody knows September is for the kids," Jeni said.
"For me," Averyana agreed.
In 2021, doctors discovered a tumor behind Averyana's eye. WTOL 11 spoke about her second battle with cancer, but Jeni said they've moved on since then, to Averyana's third battle with cancer.
"Technically on round three of fighting," Jeni said. "The tumor, we got that ... under control for about five months, we weren't detecting anything in her system. Then in a routine bone marrow biopsy, it came back in her bone marrow."
According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer is the No. 1 cause of death by disease for children, and a family hears their child's diagnosis every three minutes.
Jeni said it's faith that keeps everyone in the family strong.
"Jesus got me," Averyana said.
Along with a strong sense of faith, Jeni's Facebook page is filled with precious moments, and weekly medical visits to Columbus doctors are an integral part of daily life. But, it's also why the Monroe family is heading to Disney this December.
"This is just to give our family a break that we need," Jeni said. "Something away that we're not confined in the house. We're not in a hospital room, or at a doctor's appointment, in a car traveling back and forth, it's just time together."
Even though Averyana is busy fighting her own battle, she welcomes anyone who needs support.
"Families can be a part of our family," Averyana said.
Jeni said childhood cancer likely doesn't cross someone's mind until it impacts their life. So, it's important to spread awareness and ask for support from family, friends, and community members. The color ribbon for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is gold.
The family hopes WTOL 11 will be covering a story about Averyana's remission before the year is up.
To follow her full story, click here.