Life with a newborn is a whirlwind—from constant doctors’ appointments to sleep deprivation, life becomes a new version of normal. Baby Madison was born perfectly healthy—but when a bump on her jaw began to swell, her parents knew it may not be normal.
Ten months old, Madison took her first steps right outside of the ER while they waited for answers. Over nine days and many tests, doctors concluded she had cancer—but it took three weeks to identify it as ectomesenchymoma, an incredibly rare cancer. Madison immediately had a port put in and began treatment; scrambling to find a craniomaxillofacial surgeon, mom Jackie and dad Michael mentally prepared themselves to travel outside of Orlando to get their daughter the treatment she needed.
Jackie and Michael researched all the craniomaxillofacial surgeons they could find. Then, Madison’s doctors introduced them to Dr. Lopez: “We were so lucky that Dr. Lopez was the one who walked through the door that day – he knew exactly what to do with Madison’s diagnosis.”
Madison began chemotherapy in April of 2023 and had a temporary tracheostomy and a G-tube placed to support her during the surgical progress. She then underwent a 12-hour surgery with Dr. Lopez to remove the tumor; then, 7 days later, using her rib bone, they rebuilt her jaw in surgery. Madison continued to undergo 6 weeks of proton radiation, and in February 2024, finally completed her chemotherapy.
“Madison’s always been a super happy baby. She’s wild, she’s energetic, always on-the-go. We’ve just been living life now—she can finally go to the beach and live a normal life. It’s really great to see,” Jackie shared on Madison, who’s now 3 years old.