About

Welcome to our website for our beautiful daughter and sister Sally, who was diagnosed with Infant Mixed Lineage (MLL) ALL Leukemia at the age of 10 months. We’ve created it to keep friends and family updated. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters (and is needed) most. The site name comes from a combination of Mommy and Daddy’s nicknames for our daughter – Sweet Sally and Sally Sunshine.

Sally Noel Kabel is our beautiful, spunky, always smiling and most of all TOUGH little daughter. One day in early June, we took Sally to the ER near our home in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn after she had symptoms of dehydration, paleness, and limpness. One of the first things the doctor said to us was that this looked like Leukemia. Sally received a blood transfusion and later in the week, was diagnosed with Leukemia. We transported her to Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC, known as one of (if not) the finest cancer hospitals in the world. Nicole and I only had hours to make this life impacting decision after receiving the devastating news.

However as treatment began, Sally’s health improved and Sloan Kettering couldn’t find evidence of Leukemia. After weeks of tests,  including a small ‘honeymoon’ period where doctors thought nothing was wrong with her and constantly changing diagnosis (Leukemia –> freak virus –> MDS) our roller coaster ride of emotions about what was wrong with Sally culminated on July 15th, 2013.  It was on this day during a routine blood test that doctors formally confirmed and diagnosed Sally with Leukemia when her White Blood Cell counts skyrocketed to dangerous levels. Specifically, she was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia with a MLL Translocation of her (4;11) chromosomes. She was quickly admitted into MSK and her chemotherapy treatment began in earnest.

This treatment started in July 2013 and is expected to receive intensive chemo for two years. After that, we will have to wait another year and a half to make sure her cancer does not relapse. This means we have to hold our breath until 2017 begins if everything goes to plan before we can breath a bit easier. Sadly, relapse rate is high in Infant Leukemia, which often leads to treatment involving a transplant, so the threat is a very real one for our little girl.  Although Leukemia in kids diagnosed after the age of one year has an 85% survival rate, Infant Leukemia has a 47% survival rate.

We intend for Sally to win this battle and move on with her life.

By visiting this page, you are sending your much needed support and positive thoughts not only to Sally, but to the entire Kabel family (Matt, Nicole, Thomas & William). Your comments and positive words mean more than we could ever express. We love you all, and can’t thank you enough for this support.  If you would like to help, you can click HERE.

The Kabel Family