By Sanford Children's Hospital

Ariyanna Miller was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in June, 2013.

An active teenager, Ariyanna had always kept busy, especially with cheerleading, something she loved. Now she was facing a very serious cancer, AML – a diagnosis that can have a very bad outcome.

In fact, that fall, Ariyanna got very sick. Her parents were told that if she had to be ventilated, most likely she would never come off it… most likely she would not survive. Ariyanna did go on the vent, but she beat the odds… she made it back.

In November 2013, her cancer was finally deemed in remission, and she was able to have her PICC line removed.

Relapse is common with AML, and the family prayed that Ariyanna would not have to battle the disease again. The following October, almost one year after going into remission, Ariyanna and her family received the news no one ever wants to hear—Ariyanna’s cancer had returned.

She needed a bone marrow transplant, which she received in February 2015. Her weakened immune system after the transplant made it difficult for Ariyanna to fight off disease. She developed a blood infection and fluid filled her lungs and around her heart.

She was moved onto an oscillator to help her suffering lungs, but to the heartbreak of everyone who knew her, Ariyanna passed away on March 3, 2015.


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