Hope Violet Fimiani was born August 28th, 2006 with Down Syndrome and a heart defect. Despite the negative things we had read about Down Syndrome, our anxiety was eased the moment she was born. We fell in love with her instantly.
At 3 months old, Hope endured surgery to repair a hole in her heart. Her recovery was swift and we were relieved to have this difficult time behind us. We thanked God for having blessed us with the gift of our precious baby girl. Hope continued to grow and surprise us with her unique personality and happy disposition. She was always beaming and her beautiful smile had an impact on everyone she met.
Her love of books and interaction with others demonstrated how very smart she was. At 18 months old, Hope’s routine visit to the pediatrician for what appeared to be a simple rash on her legs would change our lives forever. “Your daughter has Leukemia.” The words rang in my ears and the thought broke my heart. Tests confirmed that Hope had AML Leukemia, the much more aggressive of its counterpart, ALL Leukemia. She began chemotherapy immediately and for the next 6 months, Hope fought for her life while remaining in the hospital. After a brief remission, the cancer returned with a vengeance and we had to face the reality that it was not going away.
Despite her terminal illness, Hope remained happy and constantly smiled so that everyone who cared for her fell in love with her. She never compromised her personality and inner beauty to the cancer. She read books, smiled and played until the last day of her life, October 13th, 2008. We will forever miss and love Hope and know she is our beautiful angel in heaven, smiling down on us all. She was not a typical child with Down Syndrome, nor was she a typical child, either.
She was living HOPE that we would make this world a better place- -one that is caring of others and cancer free. Our mission is to ensure that Hope continues to touch lives by helping those who are faced with this terrible disease and make others aware of it. With your help, I know we will make a difference in the lives of many.
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