Toddler Born With Down Syndrome And Cancer Is Finally In Remission

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Family Of Toddler Born With Cancer Share Incredible News

Cleveland Clinic / Valerie Rosian

When it rains, it pours.

The little girl that doctors at the Cleveland Clinic call "Amazing" Grace isn't even two years old.

But in her, short life she's faced challenges most adults never will.

Now, Grace's family is sharing her harrowing true story - a great example of why you should never give up.

Down syndrome cancer
Grace and her brother Robert.Cleveland Clinic

Born with cancer

Valerie Rosian nearly died while giving birth to her daughter Grace in an emergency C-section.

But after the surgery, doctors gave Rosian a dose of bad news right away.

Grace, who has Down syndrome, was born with a rare form of leukemia.

Down syndrome cancer
Grace was just four pounds at birth.Cleveland Clinic

Called transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD), it's a variety of the disease common in babies with Down Syndrome.

"We were shocked," Rosian told People. "I don't think I've ever had such a hard punch in the gut."

Grace weighed just four pounds and was only two days old when she started her first round of chemotherapy.

Rosian says she did plenty of "crying and praying"as she waited for good news.

One step forward, two steps back

Two months after her birth, Grace was finally cancer free and ready to go home from the hospital.

But her parents weren't able to relax for very long.

Down syndrome cancer
The Rosians left the hospital and went right back.Valerie Rosian

"She was only home for a little bit and she started to get sick again," Rosian said.

"Since she's been born, I've only had her home for about five or six months. She's been in and out of the hospital."

Doctors broke the awful news to the Rosians that Grace had developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) through her earlier disease.

Grace would spend the next 14 months of her life in hospital, and her condition quickly took a turn for the worse.

Round two

No parent wants to imagine their child could get sick, especially after they've already beat a deadly disease once.

Down syndrome cancer
Grace's cancer came back in a new form.Valerie Rosian

"When they told me initially that there was a chance of it coming back, I didn't really give it much thought," Rosian admitted.

"Oh my god," she remembered thinking after hearing the bad news, "what's going to happen?"

Doctors started another round of chemo, but this time it was even more intense.

Grace would go through five rounds of the treatment during her time in hospital.

She also had to go through 10 painful spinal tap procedures, when most patients with the same disease only need two.

Down syndrome cancer
Grace always kept a smile on her face.Cleveland Clinic

"She got really sick," Rosian remembers.

"She started to lose her hair and got sores. She'd have really bad vomiting and diarrhea. It felt like I was carrying a weight on my chest."

Growing up in the hospital

Now 17 months old, Grace has spent the better part of her life growing up in the Cleveland Clinic Children's hospital.

Even when things seemed bleak, the Rosians tried to mark important family milestones with grace.

Down syndrome cancer.
Grace spent most of her early life in the hospital.Cleveland Clinic

"On her pictures for her first birthday, it hurts my heart to look at them," Rosian says.

"We tried so hard to make it special for her, she was so sick. She looked so sick."

But things are starting to look up for the girl hospital staff have nicknamed "Amazing" Grace.

Last month, the Rosians were told they could finally bring Grace home - her cancer is in remission again.

Down syndrome cancer
Grace and her parents, pictured leaving the hospital last month.Cleveland Clinic

"I can breathe now," Rosian remembers feeling when doctors told her.

In a special twist, Grace was sent home on March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day.

Back at home, Rosian is looking forward to being "the mom 100%."

If you want to follow Grace's story, visit her family's Facebook page.

You can also help cover Grace's medical bills by donating to her YouCaring page.

But Grace isn't the person with Down syndrome who has defied the odds and impressed the world.

Chasing his dream

John Cronin is just 21, but his business is already worth $1 million.

That's even more impressive once you learn that Cronin has Down syndrome.

Down syndrome millionaire
Patch

The budding entrepreneur says his disability "never holds me back," and he's always dreamed of running his own company.

After high school, he considered a number of business plans including opening a food truck.

Cronin and his father settled on a company selling crazy socks, because the young tycoon has always loved wearing silly socks.

Down syndrome millionaire
Patch

He even came up with the catchphrase for his business, "Socks, socks, and more socks."

An overnight sockcess

Cronin's company, John's Crazy socks, offers more than 1,500 designs through the mail.

After being featured on a local news broadcast, the business was swamped with 42,000 orders, and has only been growing ever since.

John Cronin
Frog 104

To pay his success forward, Cronin's company is hiring employees who also have developmental disabilities.

Cronin says he's out to prove "what people with disabilities can do if you give them a chance."

A percentage of every sale is even donated to the Special Olympics.

"John is a role model," says his proud dad, Mark. "We want to show what's possible."

[H/T: Sources: People, Cleveland Clinic, Today]

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