Source: NJ.com
There’s a commercial where someone says that if there’s anything worse than hearing a doctor tell you that you have cancer, it’s that your child has cancer. When three-year-old Anjali Minocha of Jersey City was diagnosed with high-risk neurblastoma in January 2021, her mother and father weren’t prepared for what was to come.
“We pretty much spent 2021 living in the hospital,” says Kimberly Minocha, Anjali’s mother. “There were a lot of people there that passed away that my daughter used to walk down the hallways with, some older, and some younger. The most you can say to a child that young when they ask where they went is that they went to Heaven.”
Neuroblastoma is cancer of the nervous system. Around 200 to 300 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with it every year. It’s normally found developing in the adrenal glands above the kidneys and occurs mostly in infants and young children. It occurs when immature nerve tissues grow out of control. This causes the cells to become abnormal as they continue to grow and divide, forming a tumor in the process. A genetic mutation causes the cells to grow and divide uncontrollably.
Following a 10-hour surgery, four rounds of high-dose chemo radiation, proton radiation therapy, two types of immune therapy, little Anjali is thankfully cancer-free. But the battle isn’t over. Anjali is now part of a five-year vaccine trial to see if the vaccine will keep her cancer free. The vaccine is administered every three months with a total of 17 injections before the trial is over. Following the trial, yearly scans will take place.
Now in the stages of recovery, Anjali has been selected as one of four ambassadors for Stop & Shop’s annual Help Cure Childhood Cancer Campaign, which raises money to support research for pediatric cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where Anjali also received her treatment.
“While we’re still in the journey, I think it’s very fulfilling to see so many people give back to her, especially even strangers and foundations,” says Kimberly Minocha. “Right now, we’re just trying to get through treatment and it’s a great way to help support the hospital and raise money for research.”
The campaign will be celebrating its 21st anniversary on Friday, April 1, and has thus far raised $26 million for cancer research. The campaign allows customers in the tri-state area the chance to support the pediatric program at Memorial Sloan Kettering. It also supports initiatives that not only impact kids and families at MSK, but around the world through the development of cell-based therapies and other treatments.
The campaign, which includes in-store signs that highlight patient ambassadors ages 3 to 15 who are currently being treated, or have recently been treated at MSK, will run in all stores until April 30. All proceeds will go towards kids being treated at MSK. Customers can donate $1, $3, or $5 at checkout.
In addition to her mom, Anjali’s family includes her father Ashish, and her little brother Alexander.