"Dance in the middle of the fighting."

“Dance, when you're broken open. Dance, if you've torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you're perfectly free.”- Rumi

In addition to Ballet Petite's Valentine's Bring a Friend week, we are also pleased to announce that we are holding a fundraiser for St. Baldrick's Foundation, an organization that supports the fight against childhood cancer. You can donate online or drop some money off in one of our little red boxes in front of each studio.

One of Ballet Petite's very own little dancers has benefited from the work of St. Baldrick's Foundation! Please take the time to read Abby's story below as told by her mother, Patty!

"Abby started dancing at age three, as many little girls do. She looked forward to her dance classes each week, and reveled in how she looked for her recital. 

Abby's life abruptly changed just before she turned four and a half. She was diagnosed with a rare childhood leukemia, PH+ ALL, with an approximate 20% survival rate. When all she wanted to do was to play, be with her friends and dance, she spent months & months in and out of the hospital getting high dose chemotherapy. On her "good days," she would attend school & dance, totaling about one or two days a month for the first eighteen months of treatment. She was there when she felt up to it and loved every moment. When Abby heard the music, you could see in her eyes that she went to a different world. I never asked or pried, I let her enjoy. But I can imagine a world that was filled with no needles, no medicines and no doctors and filled with all the things a four or five year old would love, including joy, love & music. This girl had such determination. With absolutely no hair and often little strength, she learned her routine for her recital and got up on that stage and danced her heart out.

In Fall 2012, Abby started first grade here in Washington DC, along with a "lighter" chemo regimen. Abby was able to start dance at Ballet Petite. Even with her often sore & stiff body, she told me, "Dancing just feels so good." Abby missed her share of dance classes due to not feeling well or hospitalizations, but was able to attend so much more than before. 

On October 9, 2013, we can proudly say that Abby has completed chemotherapy is cancer free!!!  What a celebration we had. Abby is now able to attend school and dance full time. She has decided her legs are "strong enough" to start tap, and she is loving it.

Along with Abby's love of dance, school and friends, there is truly one thing that brought her through this. We are so ever thankful for childhood cancer research funded by St. Baldrick's Foundation. The research funded by them changed Abby's life expectancy rate from an approximately  20% to 70%!  Abby successfully completed chemotherapy, is in full remission, and we hope that we can say goodbye to cancer forever. 

Continued research for Abby's type and all other Childhood Cancer types is necessary to provide this fairy tale ending to all children that are suffering from this terrible disease and those not yet diagnosed. We thank you for your support on behalf of Abby and thousands of other children."

- Patty

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Abby's story. To see Abby's video and see her story, click here!

If you are interested in donating to St. Baldrick's, click on this link here!

Ballet Petite, St. Baldrick's and Abby's family really appreciate all your time and donations!

Thank you!

 Miss Tess

tessc@balletpetite.com