Young Girl With Tumor On Road To Recovery
POSTED: Tuesday, March 1, 2005
A Ruth to the Rescue story continues to capture metro Detroit's heart. Now, it's been two years since viewers saw Lexie Hiett and much has changed.
When Local 4 first met Lexie, she looked like a baby, even though she was 2 ½ years old. A non-cancerous tumor was taking over her face and it took up so much blood, her immune system and her heart were very weak.
"She's been kind of robbed of her infancy, because she's been in the hospital all the time No one realized how close to death Lexie was," said Christine Hiett.
Lexie Hiett's grandfather first contacted Local 4's Ruth Spencer and her Ruth to the Rescue unit to help the girl find transportation to Arkansas Children's Hospital, and world-renowned Hemingioma specialist Dr. Milton Waner. Because of her medical condition, including a weakened immune system, Lexie could not travel by commercial jet, or sit in a child safety car seat. Ruth to the Rescue was able to get Lexie and her parents a free ride to Little Rock on Angel Flight, a network of private pilots and their planes.
Lexie endured years of intense chemotherapy and heart medication. Previously, all the features on one side of Lexie's face were erased by the tumor, but after 20 surgeries her facial features are starting to show.
Chemotherapy helped to shrink Lexie's tumor and relieve the strain on her heart.
She has many more surgeries, which will help to reconstruct her face, but doctors believe there will be a day when the tumor is no longer the biggest issue in Lexie and her family's lives.
Lexie is nearly 5 years old and stronger than ever, but right now her biggest need is eye care.
Ruth to the Rescue contacted D.O.C. eyewear. They agreed to help Lexie with custom-made glasses and they'll make her new ones when she needs them after changes from upcoming surgeries.
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