Trinity

December 14th, 2006 had started off just like any other day for the Fields family. Dixie, Trinity’s mother, was just over four months pregnant with their second baby. Greg, Trinity’s father, was working in downtown Dallas for the day, though he normally worked from home. Trinity at the time was a bubbly toddler who loved to play dress up and watch Disney princess movies, she was two and a half years old. One afternoon in December of 2006, Trinity and Dixie were on a walk in their neighborhood. A seemingly normal outing for them, Dixie noticed that her daughter’s skin had become ghostly pale, and Trinity began to complain about pain on the lower right side of her torso. Dixie was unable to carry her back home due to complications with her pregnancy, so they were forced to walk back towards the house until their neighbor just so happened to drive by and offer them a ride home. Hepatitis had been going around that year, so Dixie quickly called the doctor and made an appointment for Trinity to be seen.

The news that followed a quick blood draw in the doctor’s office ended up being something that no parent can ever prepare for, being told that their child has cancer. Dixie remained in the doctor’s office a while after receiving the news, trying to piece together what her life and her family’s life would now be. Greg was stuck in 5 o’clock traffic in downtown Dallas, a drive that would normally take 30 minutes ended up taking almost 2 hours, so the doctor was forced to give him the horrible news over the phone. After both parents had been spoken to by the pediatrician, Dixie and Trinity were instructed to go home, pack enough clothing for several days, and go straight to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. A 45-minute drive from home, that was where Trinity would be treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia for the next two years and seven months.

Though she spent a large part of her childhood in the hospital receiving treatment, Trinity never let her diagnosis define or deter her from having fun. After she began treatment, Trinity continued to go to dance classes, sometimes right after receiving chemo. She still went to as many birthday parties for her friends as she could, and she could always be found in the playroom at the hospital making new friends with the other patients. She was granted her wish of “meeting the real Cinderella” at age 4 and went to Give Kids the World inside of Disney World for a week with her parents. Her younger brother, Lex, was born five months into her treatment, and they have always been best friends.

Trinity is now 13 years in remission and a freshman in college at the University of Alabama. She has used her story to both help and inspire others, and continues sharing her story around the country through her involvement with the B+ Foundation.