First published September 25, 2018.
The caption of the video reads:
“She’s an overcomer. Septic shock, Two bone marrow transplants, graft vs. Host disease and 325 days away from home in the hospital. God is so good to us through it all and Leah is proof of his mercy and grace! I do not own the rights to this song.”
Leah is a five-year-old with Severe Congenital Neutropenia. She had her very first marrow transplant on July 2nd, 2014, and her second on March 29th, 2016. The historical family update described her as recovering from GVHD; it is not a current medical update.
Severe congenital neutropenia is a condition which causes affected people to be prone to recurrent infections. Those with this condition have a deficiency of neutrophils, a kind of white blood cell which plays a role in inflammations and in fighting infections.
The video shares a joyful moment during the family's reported experience of treatment, without establishing a medical outcome.
Follow Leah directly through her Facebook Page, pray for her!
A child is more than a medical update
The family's caption places the song within a difficult period, but the performance also gives Leah a moment that is simply hers. Listen to the enjoyment and expression without making the video carry the burden of demonstrating recovery. A cheerful recording cannot establish a child's medical condition, and the treatment details in this article belong to the family's historical account.
Let encouragement leave room for difficult days
Calling a child strong can be affectionate, but illness should not become a contest won by sufficient courage or positivity. Families can share a happy moment while still needing practical support and room for uncertainty. The most respectful response is to value the person in the video, follow the family's own boundaries around updates and avoid turning a brief performance into a promise about an outcome.
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