emery's memory foundation

Meet Emery

December 1st, 2016. That is the day my barely two year old daughter, Emery, was diagnosed with cancer. Not just cancer but stage 4 Neuroblastoma with literally the odds stacked against her from day one. 

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My family and I will never forget that day nor will we forget just a little over a year later on December 2nd, 2017 when my barely 3 year old left my arms forever. A parent should not have to watch their child die, it changes a person and a family forever. There will never be a time that we aren’t missing her and longing to hold her and kiss her. We know she’s in heaven and we will see her again but until then our hearts are broken. 

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For 1 year and about 3 hours and 45 minutes my only child fought cancer with more bravery and strength then I ever thought possible for a child her age. She went through 6 rounds of chemo, surgery to remove the tumor off her adrenal gland, one life threatening stem cell transplant, 32 rounds/days of radiation, and one month of immune therapy. When her cancer progressed despite the continuous treatments we tried mibg therapy and additional chemo but nothing was able to cure her or even get one of her many scans to be clear. She fought so hard for that last year of her life, every single day she fought but because of the lack of funding, the lack of better, newer and safer treatments no matter how hard she fought and no matter how hard we tried to save her, her cancer outsmarted us at every turn. 

For all that Em went though she was still the happiest little girl. She was known for being a smart, sassy, always smiling and beautiful little girl. Her laughter was contagious and her smile brightened up the world. Emery was my mini me and my whole world. She may have only been 3 but she had an old soul and she knew and went through more then most people do in their entire lives. She inspired so many in her short 3 years of life but she should have had so many more. Her fight may be over but ours is just beginning. 

-Jenna Smith, Emery’s mommy