Brooklyn, Payton and Krystal

The Ride Janie Ride Foundation would like to introduce to you three very special people. We have been blessed to meet Brooklyn, Payton and Krystal. Each of them have been diagnosed with various types of cancer. It is our honor to have them as part of the Ride Janie Ride family and we take great pride in announcing that Brooklyn, Payton and Krystal will be the recipients for Ride Janie Ride 2017.  Continue scrolling to read each of their biographies. Ride Janie Ride Foundation would like to thank all of those who nominated individuals. We will not forget any of the nominees and hope that they may be a part of Ride Janie Ride for 2018.

Brooklyn

This was the day we found the blood in her urine. The next day she had the ultra sound that found the tumor and was diagnosed with cancer. This was her first surgery on august 21 the placement of the port. After her port placement surgery The start of chemo in hopes the Tumor would respond and shrink before surgery Surgery on oct 10 to remove her right kidney and tumor. First time walking in 4 days after the surgery. It was the fire truck at Ann lures that helped encourage her to take her first steps. There is no holding her back Proton Radiation begins- 6 days straight. Surrounded by love Just being a kid She lights up my day with her stillness My princess Have a blessed day! Amy Rauen

Payton

Payton was born on February 24, 2011. He was a strong & healthy little guy. He enjoyed anything that allowed him to be active. On January 12 of 2016 we received the news that my Dad (65 years old) was diagnosed with Multiple Meyoloma stage 3 with renal failure. This came as a shock. He thought he had the flu for 6 weeks. He had a bill of good health up until this point. In the meantime Payton, our son had symptoms of what we thought was bronchitis for 8 weeks. He had been treated with antibiotics & wasn't getting better. While processing the news about my Dad, two days later we were back at the doctors office to figure out a new plan of treatment for Payton. The doctor said it looked like Payton had an ear infection & should be treated with a different type of antibiotic. We sensed there was more to it than that. After receiving the news about my Dad, we needed peace of mind about Payton's health. There was random bruising on Payton's legs which seemed to appear for no reason. So they did blood work. It was later that day that we received the news that Payton's blood work indicated he had leukemia. January 14 2016 Payton was immediately admitted to the hospital. They found a large tumor on his trachea, a byproduct of the leukemia. Within hours they began treatment. It was an intense month. We were told they couldn't tell us how treatment would follow until they got the results of 28 days of steroids & chemo. At the end of the 28 days of treatment they did a bone marrow biopsy. Our prayers were answered. We received the best outcome given his diagnosis. The tumor was gone & there was no trace of leukemia in his bone marrow. After the first 28 days we have been following a strict protocol that is purposed to take him from remission to being "cured." It consists of steriods, multiple types of chemo, transfusions, & spinal taps. As we have incorporate daily activities & school for Payton we are faced with the side effects of treatment. We are learning to accept multiple ER visits & hospital stays that will be a part of our "new norm." We are now in maintenance & have 36 months of treatment to "cure" him & ensure the cancer does not return.

Krystal

Hello everyone, my name is Krystal Berryman and I am 21 years old. I am from Woodridge, IL and live at home with my parents and two younger sisters, Emily and Kaitlyn. I graduated from Downers Grove South High School in 2013 and went on to study Middle Level Education at Illinois State University that fall. I loved to get involved and filled up my days with class, work, and dedication towards my sorority to prepare for recruitment in the fall of 2015. I would've done anything for a lazy Sunday and that's when my prayers were answered, but not quite in the way any of us would have ever hoped for. July of that year I found an inflation in my left groin area and it took until September 18th to receive a diagnosis from Comer Children's Hospital that it was indeed Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. It flipped my world upside down and it has never been quite right since, but how could it be? I received 6 months of chemotherapy treatment at Comer until a relaxing afternoon at home I found a lump in my left breast. It was concluded to be a relapse of the Rhabdo and I had to change treatments fast. Not until September of 2016 did my doctors call me after my many scan results to inform me what was just keeping me stable was no longer working. Progression was shown completely in my breast as well as to other lymph nodes in surrounding areas. With a heavy heart, I parted ways with Comer Children's Hospital and transitioned over to Lurie Children's Hospital in search of my miracle. My life was completely put on hold for the year with many attempts to get back into school and work, but timing and my body just never seemed to align right. Since October 2016, they had given me treatment that had seemed to be working at first, but for the third time, I received the news of another relapse in late December. With my family and loved ones support, we are going in to the new year in search of my miracle and the knowledge that one day something will work. I may have to go to Hell and back to find it, but without the love of my family (and of course many others), I wouldn't have the courage or be the warrior I am today to do so!