Former Chemo Patient, 11, Now Running Strong

Katee Edwards could barely manage 10 steps without getting tired when she began first-grade at Mira Monte Elementary School in Ojai six years ago.

Diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 3, numerous rounds of chemotherapy, a bone-marrow transplant, and being fed through tubes in her chest left her tired and weak.

Gradually, she gained much of her strength back. Now the 11-year-old runs with the best of pack.

In her physical education class, Katee often comes in at the top 10% of the runners in the half mile, said her coach, Connie Vaglica, who has witnessed Katee’s progress from first through sixth grades.

For her efforts in sports, Katee was named the school’s “P.E Student of the Month” Friday during a luncheon at the Rotary Club of Ojai.

She was also presented with a $50 bond from the local chapter of the Governor’s Council of Physical Fitness and Sports.

“What we look for is somebody who has made great improvement and they may not necessarily be the class jock,” said Vaglica, who was one of several coaches who nominated Katee for the award. “We look for positive attitude and a lot of initiative and that’s Katee.”

At the luncheon, Katee’s soft patches of blond hair that grew back following chemotherapy sessions were gathered back into a green clip. At one point, she wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and turned back to give her dad a sly look.

It’s a facial expression Katee makes frequently.

“She gives it to me all the time, like that ‘Dad, what are you up to look,’ ” said her father, Don Edwards.

“You cannot believe the hell she went through for her to come out like this,” he said. “And to get an award like that is just . . . I wish that most adults had that ability to forget and move on.”

After being diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer of the bone marrow and blood, Katee’s disease went into remission. But two years later she had a relapse. Her body experienced a rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells that reduced the ability of her immune system to fight. She underwent painful chemotherapy sessions and numerous spinal taps.

“In the beginning, they said she had an 80% to 90% chance of complete recovery, and then she relapsed,” Edwards said. “We didn’t lose faith, we just realized medicine isn’t a perfect science.”

Katee required a bone-marrow transplant to gain more normal blood cells. Her identical twin sister, Shannon, had the same blood type and both successfully underwent the operation in 1991.

Six years later, with much improved health, Katee now practices gymnastics, rides horses and roller-skates.