"My Journey Through Darkness and Light": Surviving Childhood Leukemia Twice - by Maureen Fedge

In this powerful episode of Still I Rise, Maureen Fedge shares her remarkable story of surviving acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a child — not once, but twice.

Diagnosed at just twelve years old with an aggressive form of leukemia typically seen in adults, Maureen’s carefree childhood quickly shifted from Saturday mornings at City Park to hospital rooms, chemotherapy, and a life-saving cord blood transplant at Duke Hospital. After months in isolation and years of treatment, she was declared cancer-free — only to face recurrence again during her teenage years.

Through faith, resilience, and an unwavering will to live, Maureen fought back. Her journey through childhood cancer shaped her into a woman who now sees her scars — physical and emotional — as proof of strength.

Using the powerful metaphor of a caterpillar entering a cocoon, Maureen reflects on how darkness does not mean defeat. Sometimes it means transformation. Sometimes it means wings are forming.

This episode explores childhood leukemia survival, AML treatment, cord blood transplant recovery, faith during illness, and life after cancer. It is a moving reminder that even in the darkest seasons, hope can rise — and miracles are possible.

If you or someone you love has faced childhood cancer, this story will inspire courage, faith, and the belief that your time to fly may still be ahead.