‘She’s definitely strong and resilient’: Oklahoma City girl overcomes steep odds
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – “Three, two one… go!” announces 9-year-old Jayci Winquist of Oklahoma City, as her younger brothers prepare to arm wrestle. Jayci loves to rough-house with her brothers, and it’s astonishing to watch her hop across the room and jump on the couch. You see, Jayci has just one leg.
“Jayci is very, very sassy and independent” explains her mother, Michelle Fuller, “She loves helping others. She doesn’t like getting help very much.”
And that means help just getting around. Jayci lost her leg after a series of medical events that began with a sore hip when she was seven. Her mother took her to the emergency room and recalls “they immediately took her into x-ray, and as soon as her scan pulled up, it looked like fireworks went off in her leg.”
Those fireworks were an aggressive form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. Jayci was soon getting intensive care at OU Children’s Hospital and Jimmy Everest Cancer Center.
Michelle Fuller says “Jayci had a titanium rod put in her leg to try and save the leg. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out.”
Jayci loves to dance and move, but her repaired leg continued to slow her down. She was actually excited when doctors suggested a full amputation.
“So if Jayci is excited, I’m excited. We’ll be excited together. It tore a piece of me away to sign that paper to do that.” Michelle remembers.
Jayci’s dad, Johnny Gee, nods in agreement.
“There’s nothing easy about it, especially when kids look at you like you’re the hero, like you can fix anything.”
Jayci’s parents remember after the operation, she was encouraged to get back on her feet by her medical team, and a therapy dog she doted on at the hospital.
“The day after her amputation she stood for Targa—she lived for that dog” recalls Jayci’s mom. “This was better because that leg was dragging behind her.”
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It didn’t take long for the family to see that the amputation was a good decision, and while she gets along without it, she is also getting physical therapy with a prosthetic limb.
Jayci is the kind of girl who embraces life and loves her family most of all. She treasures time with her mom and sometimes they have “sleepovers” in her bedroom, watching movies. Osteosarcoma is a hard cancer to fight. Her doctors are using every weapon including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. They’ve giving her the best chance at a full life.
Her dad says “She’s definitely strong and resilient!”
If you’d like to help children like Jayci fight cancer, consider donating to JECFriends.org
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