How Nine-Year-Old JaKiah Celebrates Being Cancer Free

JaKiah Collins is cancer free. JaKiah serves as a national ambassador for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and is a patient at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Her most recent appointment highlighted in USA Today. Read the full story from USA Today below and watch her story above.

Nine-year-old JaKiah Collins had a big doctor’s appointment ahead of her. She was used to coming to the hospital; she’d been in and out of hospitals for years. But this appointment was a big milestone.

JaKiah was diagnosed with Wilms tumor when she was four. Her father took her to the doctor for a pre-K checkup when the doctor saw something he didn’t like. Follow-up appointments confirmed she had the form of children’s kidney cancer.

JaKiah would need surgery, several rounds of chemo, and several visits to Arkansas Children’s hospital. Her hair fell out, she missed a lot of school, but through it all, she stayed resilient. 

Now at nine-years-old, JaKiah looked like a typical 4th grader. The appointments and treatments were behind her. Her cancer was in remission.

The 5-year checkup is a large milestone because if a child has been cancer-free for 5 years, the chances that the cancer will return drastically decrease. The family had been anticipating this moment for awhile.

“I had this bit of excitement because I was like, we’re going to hear all clear,” JaKiah’s mom, Crystal Collins said. “And then you get this gut-wrenching feeling of, what if they don’t say that?”

Several of JaKiah’s family members were present to support her during this visit, regardless of what the doctors say.

JaKiah’s doctor come in the hospital room. “Your x-ray and ultrasound all looked really good.”