Our daughter, Erica Kate Leafquist began a ten-year battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (A.L.L.) when she was just four years old. With the support of the dedicated nurses and doctors at Dana Farber’s Jimmy Fund, and her selfless bone marrow donor, Erica courageously battled years of chemotherapy, radiation and two bone marrow transplants. She inspired those who knew her and we came to call her warrior princess as she faced these arduous medical treatments with an indomitable spirit.
Despite these challenges, Erica maintained a cheerful outlook on life and enjoyed friends, pets, school, and watching the Red Sox. However, art was her true passion. At the age of three, Erica began drawing and painting. She began drawing lessons at the age of six and in the years that followed, Erica created hundreds of drawings and paintings. Wherever Erica went her drawing pad & pencil went with her.
Sadly, in 2013 at the age of 14, Erica passed away.
In 2014, we established the Erica Leafquist Fund at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute to both honor Erica’s memory and provide funds for important research being done on A.L.L. (the most common form of leukemia in children). Despite medical advances in the last generation, approximately 1 in 4 cancer deaths in children from leukemia. Dr. Lewis Silverman and his research team are striving to identify drugs and therapies that will improve the cure rate of A.L.L.
We are allocating 100% of my PMC fundraising to the Erica Leafquist Fund.
In the face of A.L.L, Erica showed an unconquerable spirit.
Now it is the spirit of the Erica Leafquist Fund to conquer A.L.L.
Thank you very much for your support!
-Eric and Kathy Leafquist
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