Noxon fans celebrate child's liberation from chemo

Six-year-old Noxon first-grader Danni Hill is finally getting a chance to get used to feeling good.

Diagnosed with leukemia (Pre-B/cell ALL acute lymphoblastic leukemia) when she was four, Danni has been on chemotherapy for two and a half years, finishing treatment Jan. 6.

Noxon School will celebrate her wonderful news this Saturday, Feb. 2. Because orange is the color of leukemia awareness ribbons, all basketball fans are encouraged to wear orange to the home games versus Hot Springs. The Savage Heat fans have been invited to wear the orange, too.

Danni’s mother, Cass Hill, has had the difficult chance to learn a lot about leukemia. She says the disease is not like other cancers as there is no tumor to target for removal.

“Your body just goes haywire producing immature white blood cells,” she says. “They never mature to fight infection, they just push out everything else, including red blood cells.” It is as yet unexplained why some get it, and others don’t.

Cass says Danni did “fairly well” during treatment but did have a couple setbacks. “The first year was rough,” she recalls, including hair loss and a scary bout of pneumonia that made it hard for the youngster to breathe. Because leukemia lurks in spinal fluid when it is pursued, Danni had to endure needles in her back to sample the fluid. When asked what she will be the gladdest to be rid of, Danni unhesitatingly (and heartbreakingly) says, “back pokes.” She will still have monthly blood draws for the next year or so, and won’t be considered cancer-free for five years. “I don’t think I’ll ever not worry,” Cass says.

Cass had worried that the illness might affect Danni’s school life.

Not so.

“She likes reading, and she’s super social, all around doing very well.”

Montana Make-A-Wish Foundation has another way for the family to celebrate. They are sending Danni, her mom, her dad Ray, and little brother Ryker (3) on a 10-day trip to Disney World and the surrounding attractions this March. “Danni is over the moon!” Cass says, sounding very much like she might do a little moon-jumping herself. But underneath it all, “I’m just super excited to see Danni get back to being a normal, happy, healthy kid.”