WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Jocelyn Green enjoys baking and playing with her dog, “Buddy,” but after receiving some shocking news, she was never the same.
Jocelyn, 14, was diagnosed with leukemia.
“It’s crazy how different my life is,” she said.
What You Need To Know
- Jocelyn Green, 14, was diagnosed with leukema
- The Make-A-Wish Foundation granted Jocelyn a family vacation but she exchanged it to help other pediatric patients
- Jocelyn shares her long road to recovery, hoping to inspire others to give back
The first to hear the news was her mother, Allina Green.
“I just kind of fell to the floor,” Allina said. “Everything went black. It’s a parent’s biggest nightmare.”
Jocelyn was a dancer and cheerleader, and the diagnosis explained why she struggled with breathing during a performance at a football game.
“The mass grew, and it was blocking 48% of her esophagus. That’s why she couldn’t breathe,” Allina said.
That snowballed into a long road ahead.
“She was in intensive treatment from September until May,” Allina said. “She lost over 20 pounds and she was only 97 pounds at the time. She had seizures from the medication, from the chemo.”
Jocelyn is still on chemotherapy, but her heart is full of love.
Months later, the Make-A-Wish Foundation offered her a wish, but all she wanted wasn’t the wish itself but a chance to give it up to help other children in treatment.
“It just didn’t feel right to use my wish for vacation,” Jocelyn explained. “That’s why I wanted to donate my wish to the 11th floor, so other kids can have a little bit of happiness while they get chemo.”
Jocelyn exchanged her wish to provide pediatric patients with entertainment technology while in the hospital.
As she sends a little joy their way, she has a message for others undergoing treatment.
“I know a lot of people have it way worse than me,” Jocelyn said. “They’re very strong, and when I see kids way younger than me in the hospital, they inspire me because they have to live through this just as much as I do.”
Jocelyn only hopes her story is an inspirational to others.
“I’m so glad I’m able to do this because I know that other people are seeing this. I hope they see this and it inspires other people to help others in little ways,” Jocelyn said.
