Patient Stories

A sparkly send-off celebrates young St. Luke’s patient’s strength and her health care heroes

St. Luke’s team members gathered in the Children’s skybridge to see off Violet and her family after her long stay.

By Christine MyronLast Updated March 13, 2026

It was a show of strength, determination and the power of support, fitting for someone described as “a warrior.”

In this case, the honoree was a 7-year-old named Violet.

Dozens of St. Luke’s health care professionals gathered at the St. Luke’s Children’s skybridge to celebrate Violet’s journey home as she continuously stepped up to fight in her battle against cancer.

Last fall, Violet’s family welcomed its fourth child into the world. Just days later, another life-changing shift: Violet was diagnosed with leukemia. Two significant back-to-back life changes: one, a celebration; the other, marking a long, challenging road ahead.

Violet taking in the sight of everyone dancing and singing on her way out of the hospital.

Violet started chemotherapy treatments right away, but soon after, serious abdominal complications brought her to the emergency department. Ongoing health needs required her to be admitted to St. Luke’s Children’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. There, Violet’s mother Rachel recounts that Violet coded four times and each time the medical teams were able to bring her back.

She needed surgery but was too unstable to be taken to the operating room. Instead, St. Luke’s Surgical Rapid Response Team mobilized and performed bedside surgery on Violet in her hospital room.

Rachel will forever vividly recall the September day when she says that Dr. James B. Remm el, Jr. and Dr. David Klima saved Violet’s life. Remmel performed CPR and got Violet through the codes without cognitive impairment, while Klima performed Violet’s bedside surgery.

“Their compassion, attentiveness and quick thinking were truly unbelievable and are why Violet gets to be a miracle,” Rachel said. “They are heroes. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

She also remembers that Violet’s oncologists, Dr. Martha Pacheco and Dr. Kaitlyn Voelz, didn’t leave their side.

“They brought information and hope,” Rachel said. “It is truly incredible to have such compassionate physicians who stood and supported us during the scariest time of our lives.”

Following the successful surgery, Rachel says that when Violet awoke, she could only move her eyes. A known possibility of neuromuscular weakness had set in.

“From there, it was one day at a time,” Rachel said. “Day by day, she regained strength.”

Patient Stories

A sparkly send-off celebrates young St. Luke’s patient’s strength and her health care heroes

By Christine MyronLast Updated March 13, 2026

It was a show of strength, determination and the power of support, fitting for someone described as “a warrior.”

In this case, the honoree was a 7-year-old named Violet.

She needed surgery but was too unstable to be taken to the operating room. Instead, St. Luke’s Surgical Rapid Response Team mobilized and performed bedside surgery on Violet in her hospital room.

“Their compassion, attentiveness and quick thinking were truly unbelievable and are why Violet gets to be a miracle,” Rachel said. “They are heroes. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

She also remembers that Violet’s oncologists, Dr. Martha Pacheco and Dr. Kaitlyn Voelz, didn’t leave their side.

“They brought information and hope,” Rachel said. “It is truly incredible to have such compassionate physicians who stood and supported us during the scariest time of our lives.”

Following the successful surgery, Rachel says that when Violet awoke, she could only move her eyes. A known possibility of neuromuscular weakness had set in.

“From there, it was one day at a time,” Rachel said. “Day by day, she regained strength.”

Little girl hugs nurse who took care of her. — It was a celebratory day, but still had some bittersweet moments as the St. Luke’s team and Violet had found a strong bond.

Violet’s PICU stay was 88 days long, but more work was to be done. The next step forward was to the St. Luke’s Children’s pediatric oncology floor for continued cancer treatment and inpatient rehabilitation care. Weeks learning basic functions, to talk, swallow and walk again followed. Violet defied the odds by walking out on her own.

In total, Violet spent five months receiving care at St. Luke’s Children’s. Part of that was spent in St. Luke’s Children’s Inpatient Pediatric Unit, which opened in 2024. Rachel notes it allowed their family to remain close to Violet. In the past, many pediatric patients requiring inpatient rehabilitative care had to go out of state.

When asked about what she missed the most about home while in the hospital, Violet says she missed her baby sister and her brothers, but that she made a couple of friends during her stay – some of whom were nurses.

Support for Violet also came from beyond the hospital walls. Violet’s school classmates made shirts in honor of her and prayed for her while she was away, gaining strength.

Little girl being hugged by her younger brother. — Violet gets a hug from her little brother before heading home.

With her IRU graduation hat and her sparkly celebration dress, St. Luke’s team members danced, sang, waved – and some shed a few tears at Violet’s most recent incredible milestone. During her rehab, St. Luke’s music therapy helped her regain some of that fun-loving spark

Now, the family of six is home as one again. For that, they are incredibly grateful for the people who cared for Violet along the way.

“I am forever thankful for St. Luke’s Children’s,” Rachel said. “Violet’s story cannot be told without talking about all the angels and heroes that cared for her, literally every person that lined the skybridge.”

Violet’s health care journey will continue with two years of cancer treatment at St. Luke’s Children’s Cancer Institute. Even so, Violet already has her next celebration in mind – ringing the bell alongside her health care heroes.

The family invited KTVB to attend and capture Violet’s graduation from the Children’s inpatient rehabilitation unit. A story of Violet’s journey is anticipated to air in March 2026.