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Written by: E. George
Published September 24, 2024 @ 4:45 PM ET
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – At just 16 years old, Keren Clay embodies a remarkable story of resilience and hope. Diagnosed with cancer at the age of nine, Keren has not only faced immense challenges but is a beacon of strength for others.
Now, she is channeling her experiences into a powerful mission: to support childhood cancer research through her participation in Swim Across America, an event dedicated to raising funds for the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center where she was treated.
Keren’s journey began in 2018, a year when a seemingly innocuous bump marked the start of a long battle. The bump, initially thought to be a soccer injury, grew rapidly leading to a series of medical evaluations that ultimately revealed a devastating diagnosis: rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive soft tissue cancer.
The cancer had reached Stage 4 and spread to 11 different sites in her body, including critical areas such as her shoulder, pelvis, and thigh.
Keren’s mother, Kelly Clay, vividly recalls the moment they received the diagnosis: “It’s hard to describe that moment,” she said. “To know how hard we’d been trying to help her all those months and that she’d been getting worse all the while. I felt physically ill, like I was dying right there in that room.”
Despite the prognosis, Keren’s family made a conscious decision to keep hope alive. “We were obviously going to take their medical advice, but we felt like we didn’t know what was going to happen, so we wanted to give Keren hope and something to look forward to,” Kelly explained. This led them to a memorable trip to Universal Studios and Discovery Cove in Orlando before Keren’s treatment began.
The initial phase of Keren’s treatment involved 53 weeks of chemotherapy. As the cancer responded to the treatment, amputation of her leg below the knee became necessary due to the persistence of the tumor. The decision was heart-wrenching but deemed essential for her survival.
Keren’s recovery was nothing short of inspiring. She adapted quickly to life with a prosthetic leg, undergoing extensive physical therapy to regain her mobility. By the summer of 2019, she was declared cancer-free.
Reflecting on her journey, Keren shared, “I always knew I wasn’t just fighting for myself. I couldn’t leave my family and friends. I tried my best for myself but also for them. I was doing great with my prosthetic leg and got back to normal-ish life. Giving up soccer was really hard,” and “I knew I had to find another activity.”
Swimming became Keren’s new passion. She joined Blaze Sports, an adaptive sports program, where she found a supportive community and continued to thrive. Her new normal was interrupted, however, just before Christmas 2021, when routine scans revealed a new cancer: osteosarcoma, this time bone cancer in her shoulder.
The discovery of osteosarcoma brought new challenges. Unlike rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma often requires a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. Keren underwent 46 weeks of chemotherapy and surgery to replace her scapula with a 3D-printed prosthesis.
Despite these challenges, she continued to show remarkable strength and determination. Her mother, Kelly, said, “We did our best to be optimistic, reminding ourselves that she’d gotten through it before and could do it again.”
Keren’s resilience paid off once again when she was declared cancer-free in May 2022. With her health stabilized, Keren returned to a more typical life, balancing school, work, and her passion for swimming. She now works as an instructor at Dynamo Swim School, teaching children how to swim, and trains with her high school swim team.
Keren decided to use her experiences to advocate for a cause close to her heart. On September 21, she participated in Swim Across America, an event designed to raise funds for cancer research.
She expressed, “Until Swim Across America, I didn’t feel like I had many opportunities to make change. This is an opportunity to do something I love, which is swim, and a chance to advocate for kids who need a better chance of having a good future.”
Keren was joined by her prosthetist, Rebecca Hernandez, her physical therapist, Jilly Cannoy, and her family, including her dad and brother, who also participated in the swim. Keren’s enthusiasm is palpable as she joked about her dad’s lack of training before the event: “I’m worried about my dad. He’s going to be dead tired. But I’m looking forward to it. I know I can go the distance.”
Keren’s participation in Swim Across America is not just a personal triumph but also a call to action for better childhood cancer treatments. Her mother, Kelly, expressed the urgency of continued advocacy: “We continue to advocate because children need and deserve better. Some of the cancer treatments we have aren’t good enough. Even when children survive, they have terrible side effects.”
For those interested in supporting Keren’s Swim Across America fundraiser, contributions can be made through her fundraising page at tinyurl.com/kerenclayswim.
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