Clifford family photos courtesy of Ellen Duperret and The Bald Beauties Project
Three-and-a-half-year-old Alice is a wild child who loves swimming, scootering and running around. Her dad describes her as bubbly, clever and exceptionally funny. So when she complained about a “tummy booboo” it seemed like she just needed time to rest and recharge.
When nothing helped her feel better, mom Shelby took her to the emergency room in Sierra Vista, where a nurse practitioner took a blood sample. She ran it three times to ensure the numbers she was seeing were correct. Alice had B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL for short) and needed treatment in Tucson right away.
Shelby called her husband Landon, who was in class for his Captain’s Career Course, to break the news.
“As a Captain in the Army, you’re prepared for anything that might come your way,” said Landon, “but nothing could have prepared me for this.”
Luckily Shelby’s sister knew what to do. She called the Tucson Ronald McDonald House to get her sister, brother-in-law and one-year-old nephew a room close to the hospital. They were checked-in just hours later.
“The House made everything a step above easy,” said Shelby. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to describe what a relief that is. Not having to worry about where my family is going to sleep and where we’re going to eat. Or where we’re going to be safe from COVID-19 when nothing feels safe.”
From the start, Shelby knew that Alice would lose her hair, and that it would be difficult for her. The week of the diagnosis, mom got a big haircut to show Alice that bald women can be strong and beautiful. When Alice’s hair started falling out a few weeks later, she asked for a haircut “just like mama’s.”
For the first few months, Alice and her family made the 80-mile trip to Tucson every few weeks for chemotherapy, all while receiving tremendous support from family and friends.
They wanted to find a small way to take the kindness they received and pay it forward. So they started brainstorming.
They remembered the whirlwind that happens when a child needs immediate care. That moment when you grab everything, throw it into a bag and race to the hospital. And the next moment, when you realize what you forgot.
For Landon, that was a pair of slippers. Something easy to slip on. Something that felt clean after days with Alice in the hospital. That’s when it dawned on them: they could give back with slippers.
Armed with a long Amazon wish list and a lot of help from neighbors, friends and family, they collected slippers to donate to the House. The outpouring of love was so great that by the end of the drive, they had collected over 60 pairs.
They hand-delivered the slippers to the House with Alice’s help. She couldn’t wait to show how strong she was by pulling the overflowing red wagon.
“For a little kid going through everything she’s going through – she’s been amazing.”
Alice still has a long road ahead of her filled with visits to the hospital and the House, but she’s doing great! Through it all, she has maintained her strong will and keen sense of humor. Just last week, Landon “invited” her to help with a chore – putting her dirty dishes in the dishwasher. But Alice sassily replied, “I can’t. I have cancer,” before running off to play with her brother.
When you donate to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona, your provide a “home-away-from-home” for families like Greyson’s.
