Athena Veronica Kropp 11/28/07 - 6/10/2010

For those of you who do not know Athena Kropp, she was my sister’s youngest daughter (my niece, also my Goddaughter). She was born on November 28, 2007. I was lucky enough to be there for her birth, and from the start, she was so precious to us.

At only five months old, Athena was diagnosed with leukemia. She went through countless chemotherapy treatments and many hospital stays that lasted four to five days at a time. When she was first diagnosed, the doctors didn’t think she would survive—her organs were enlarged, and her white blood cell count was dangerously high at over 300,000. They told us she was literally on her deathbed and might not make it more than a couple of days.

But Athena fought hard. She endured blood transfusions, surgeries to insert a chest port for her treatments, and multiple rounds of chemo. Against all odds, she pulled through and went into remission after about two years of treatment.

Tragically, just two to three weeks after her remission, in May 2010, her leukemia returned. She had to resume chemotherapy, and during one of her hospital stays in June, she developed a severe diaper rash that led to sepsis. The infection spread rapidly, and her organs shut down within a few days. Athena passed away on June 10, 2010, just a short time after her relapse. She was only two and a half years old.

Athena was a strong, happy baby who touched the hearts of everyone who met her. Even in the midst of her pain, she was always smiling and full of light. Though her life was far too short, her courage continues to inspire us. She is the reason I ride—to honor her memory, to fight for kids still battling cancer, and to keep her spirit alive.