Published: June 02, 2009 09:07 am      

Makenzie loses her battle

Five-year-old Knox County girl loses battle with cancer

Times-Tribune Staff Report

Makenzie Foley lived long enough to see the birth of baby sister Kiley Grace last month, and her fifth birthday on May 17. But the Knox County child passed away May 30 after battling a rare form of childhood cancer.

When Kenzie was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in December 2007, doctors gave her a 25 percent chance of survival, but her family always remained optimistic about her care.

Tasha Foley, Makenzie’s mother, said Makenzie had received a bone marrow transplant, and things seemed promising.

But over the past month, Makenzie has suffered from seizures and kidney failure. She spent part of the time in a chemically-induced coma.

More than two years of the family’s heartache and hope have been documented through Makenzie’s caringbridge Web site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/makenziefoley/

“I just don’t know where to begin,” Makenzie’s grandmother Joyce wrote on May 28. “Just talked to Tasha and she said she talked to the doctor and he said to call the family to come in and say their good-byes. Please pray that God’s will be done that Tasha won’t have to make the decision to take her off the dialysis. The doctor said if they didn’t, that she could lay there for a week or so hurting in pain. She doesn’t have any brain movement at all. He said she has had a stroke.”

In the end, Makenzie passed away without her family having to remove her from dialysis.

“Our hearts are broken, our eyes filled with tears, no understanding to be found, but what we know is she’ll suffer no more for she’s walking the streets of heaven!” they wrote on her caringbridge.org journal.

The Knox County community had rallied around the little girl, and in February 2008, more than $1,700 was raised for the family during a benefit concert at West Knox Elementary.

A similar show of support is expected at Makenzie’s funeral services, which will take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Vankirk-Grissel Funeral Home. Visitation will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday (today) at the funeral home.