Destiny’s Story
On, September 17, 2020 our beautiful 9 year old Daughter, Destiny Arianna Kay Riekeberg, met her Destiny as she lost her 8 month battle to a rare liver cancer, hepatoblastoma.
Life before cancer was a life lived to the fullest for our Daughter. Destiny excelled in competition dance, cheer, softball and she loved her tik tok dances. She strived to be the best in everything she pursued. And she did just that! She was always 10 steps ahead of everyone taking life by storm. She certainly marched to the beat of her own drum and forged a path toward greatness throughout her short 9 years. Destiny was a force and she was certainly “1 in a million”which was unfortunately the rate in which her rare cancer occurred.
Destiny became very ill during Christmas break of 2019. We spent hours in the ER, various clinics, and her pediatrician’s office trying to get answers. We were eventually advised to take her to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL and it was there on January 7, 2020 that we were told that our daughter had cancer. Our world stopped and would never be the same again.
Destiny’s Story
On, September 17, 2020 our beautiful 9 year old Daughter, Destiny Arianna Kay Riekeberg, met her Destiny as she lost her 8 month battle to a rare liver cancer, hepatoblastoma.
Life before cancer was a life lived to the fullest for our Daughter. Destiny excelled in competition dance, cheer, softball and she loved her tik tok dances. She strived to be the best in everything she pursued. And she did just that! She was always 10 steps ahead of everyone taking life by storm. She certainly marched to the beat of her own drum and forged a path toward greatness throughout her short 9 years. Destiny was a force and she was certainly “1 in a million”which was unfortunately the rate in which her rare cancer occurred.
Destiny became very ill during Christmas break of 2019. We spent hours in the ER, various clinics, and her pediatrician’s office trying to get answers. We were eventually advised to take her to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, AL and it was there on January 7, 2020 that we were told that our daughter had cancer. Our world stopped and would never be the same again.
After a week into her diagnosis, Destiny experienced a tumor bleed. The tumor bleed caused Destiny to bleed out all of her body’s blood causing a whole host of issues in addition to her cancer. As a result, Destiny was no longer eligible for a liver transplant. She was no longer able to walk, she went into kidney failure, requiring dialysis, was on breathing and feeding tubes and acquired a terrible blood bacteria. Not only did she have to fight cancer, she had to contend with all of these other life threatening issues as well. She had an uphill battle, and she over came all of those trials.
It was through her cancer journey, that we truly got to see what our Daughter was made of. She told me, I could be cheering or dancing mom, but now people know my name for the right reasons. Nothing could stand in her way, not even cancer. She still chose to live in spite of what all cancer tried to steal from her.
Destiny endured her cancer journey with such dignity and grace. She was very compassionate. Praying intently for her friends who were also sick in the hospital. She also opened her heart up to true love with her first boyfriend “Ace.” A love story of two 9 years olds brought together through tragedy that will go down in history.
Destiny’s faith in God changed peoples lives nation and worldwide through her journey. She never gave up and fought to the end of her life here on earth.
Now we must continue her fight. Her legacy will live on through Destiny StrongER and all those who continue to love and support her. We will continue to fight the good fight assisting families of children battling childhood cancer and aiding in further research of the rare childhood liver cancer, hepatoblastoma.
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Destiny’s faith in God changed peoples lives nation and worldwide through her journey. She never gave up and fought to the end of her life here on earth.
Now we must continue her fight. Her legacy will live on through Destiny StrongER and all those who continue to love and support her. We will continue to fight the good fight assisting families of children battling childhood cancer and aiding in further research of the rare childhood liver cancer, hepatoblastoma.