I'm Kandra Destany Crissen I was born March 19, 1994 in Bradenton, FL. I now live in Jacksonville with my mother Katrina Crissen and my younger sister Kasandra Crissen. I also have a younger brother Kevin Crissen that lives in Bradenton, FL. My step-father Brenden whom I adore and my step brother Chauncey also resides in Jacksonville.
I was first diagnosed with Leukemia when I was 12 in June of 2006 at All Childrens Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. I had my first round of chemo there and then in August I was transported to Wolfson Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. While there I went through 6 more rounds of chemo. My symptoms when I first was diagnosed were pitchea, rashes, strep throat, & fevers. I had to spend 9 months in seclusion at the hospital and missed my whole 7th grade year of school. In January 2007 I went into remission. After leaving the hospital I became very depressed over my hair loss and basically tried to shut everyone out, but thanks to friends and family I was able to get help and support to over come what I had to go through. I went back to school that September and finished my 8th grade year.
I am 14 now and attend 9th grade at Darnell Cookman High aka Soma and take AP courses. I started to become very sick again and on Friday November 7, 2008 my mom took me to the ER and I was admitted back into Wolfson Childrens Hospital and they told me it was cancer again. On Tuesday November 11, 2008 I had to start my first round of chemo and went through several treatments and had the last one on Sunday November 16, 2008. If everything goes as planned with the rounds of chemo after I recover from my second round I will have to have a bone marrow transplant which could be at the end of January 2009.
With the help and support of my family, friends, and teachers I have made the choice to continue my education during my stay in the hospital while taking on this battle with Leukemia. The courses I am taking in school are very strenuous but it will help keep me focused and prepare me for college. I also plan to fulfill my dream of creating my own fashion line and will be focusing on that while I am in the hospital as well. I am hoping to find a sponsor that can help get my artwork out to the right people to have my fashion line discovered. There will be many times during these treatments that I will be to sick to do my school work or work on my fashion designs, but I am in a better place this time and want to keep pushing through. Thank you to all of you who are helping me and supporting me with everything that I am enduring. I am grateful for all of you.
Kandra Destany Crissen, my princess, my first born, my baby, took Gods hand on 03/23/2009 at approx. 8:00PM and He wrapped her in His arms and lead her home with Him.
Kandra slept through the night on Sunday and through out Monday. Around 7:26PM her heart stopped and she coded. The doctors and nurses worked on her for about 35 minutes but Kandra didn't come back.
