A hospital might not seem like the place for a friendship to blossom, but that was exactly what happened at the Texas Children’s Hospital. Ava Garcia, 4, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in August 2014. Her neighbor in the hospital, three-year-old Penny Smith, was diagnosed with skeletal muscle cancer in May 2014. Spending time getting treatments led the young girls to become fast friends.
Ava went into remission this February, but sadly, the news isn’t so good for Penny. Penny’s health has been deteriorating, and her mother says her short life may end in just a few weeks.
The girls hit it off immediately when they met at the hospital, and soon their moms were scheduling their chemo treatments at the same time. They even started setting up more traditional playdates between treatments.
Chemotherapy is stressful and painful, but their moms said that by going together, the treatments were less traumatic for the girls. Ava’s mother said that with Penny by her side, Ava was less frightened.
Ava’s mom also said that having a friend who also lost her hair to chemo helped boost Ava’s confidence.
With their hospital rooms right next to one another, the girls spent a lot of time together. But it’s not just them — the girls’ moms have become close friends as well, and find comfort in going through this challenging time together. Christina Harrell-Garcia, Ava’s mom, credits Penny and her mother Cindy Sagan for helping the Garcia family through Ava’s illness.
The girls quickly became inseparable.
Cindy, seen here with Penny on her lap, now takes care of her daughter in hospice. Ava and her family come to visit often.
Ava visits Penny while Penny stays in bed. Ava makes sure to bring her friend cards and gifts.
Penny’s pain has been increasing and her energy levels are dropping, so the family has been working with doctors to administer medication that will make her more comfortable.
(via Daily Mail, Facebook)
Cindy and Penny’s challenges are much different now that Penny has entered hospice care, but everyone is determined to fill Penny’s remaining time with as many great memories as possible. As Saga points out, “They are best friends through tragedy. They found each other and they’re going to hold onto each other for as long as possible.”
