ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Four little girls. All best friends. All cancer survivors.
Lauren, McKinley, Ava and Chloe.
Three years ago, the girls were complete strangers. The scared 2- and 3-year-olds were all admitted to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg all within a short time of each other.
On this journey they and their families formed a bond going to treatments together, laughing and crying together.
Today, all four girls are heading into kindergarten/VPK in remission and off treatment.
They survived — together.
“To see these girls from day one of diagnosis, to getting called down to the lobby today (to see them celebrate),” said an emotional Staci Columbus, a nurse who has been with them from the start. “It’s the reason I became a nurse.”
Every year, in the hospital or out, Lauren, McKinley, Ava and Chloe get together for a photo.
They have no plans of ever stopping the tradition.
