Hannah Bilton is a smart, caring 8-year-old who stared cancer in the face at the tender age of 5 and has now earned a champion status well beyond many star athletes.

When she is not clogging, playing softball, jumping on her trampoline, running around with her miniature dachshund or frolicking with her little 4-year-old sister, Savannah, Hannah is simply thankful for life.

In February 2006, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Her mother, Wendy, was diagnosed with breast cancer just nine days before. The self-described mama’s girl then began a journey with her mother that was unlike any other.

Hannah immediately began treatment at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital. She received chemotherapy, two bone marrow biopsies and two spinal taps during a two-week hospital stay. Hannah completed her treatment five months after her mother finished her own treatment in November 2007. The two are now in remission from cancer, with Hannah revisiting the hospital every two months for blood work.

“So far, everything’s just been wonderful,” said Wendy, who described a strong, unyielding bond with her daughter as they battled cancer together.

“We laid up in bed and watched movies when we weren’t feeling good. We basically lost our hair together. ... We were close before, but we’re just so much closer now,” she said, noting that she and her daughter also endured chemotherapy treatments together.

Hannah’s remarkable resilience hasn’t gone unnoticed as she was recently selected as a 2009 South Carolina Champion through the Children’s Miracle Network’s Champions Across America program. The program spotlights the work being done at children’s hospitals across the nation by honoring children who, like Hannah, have triumphed despite severe medical challenges.

Hannah will join other child ambassadors from every state during a week-long trip. The first stop will be Orlando, Fla., for the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration event at Walt Disney World. She will then travel to Washington to visit Capitol Hill and share her medical story as a representative of the 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals each year throughout the nation.

“We would take everybody on the trip if we could. It’s something we’ll be able to talk about for a long time,” Bilton said.

Hannah was recognized for being named the state’s 2009 Champions Across American program winner during a March 3 event in Columbia, where Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller presented her and her family a proclamation designating March 3 as “Hannah Bilton Day” in Orangeburg. She was also joined by her local pediatrician, Dr. Tracy Macpherson.

Hannah, who also enjoys math and playing with her friends in her spare time, is excited about her star status. She will have the chance to see President Barack Obama, who’s scheduled to attend a luncheon with winners in the nation’s capital.

“I’m going to enjoy it. I’m going to be the only one in my family that’s had an experience like this. I’m very happy that I get to go on the trip. I’m thankful for the hospital because they helped me through all of it and took care of me,” Hannah said. She said she “jumped up and down” after being told by her parents, including her father, Jason, that she was this year’s winner.

She said she is a champion because she was able to get through her surgeries and the overall fatigue, vomiting, stomach aches and occasional isolation she felt during her battle with cancer.

“Some days I would get tired and sleepy. I couldn’t get around a big group of people. Every time I’d go to the hospital, I’d think about how I had to get my surgeries and stuff. I got through it and I was OK,” said Hannah, noting that she developed a close bond with her mother during their ordeals.

“We’ve been through everything together. We had to get a (chemotherapy) port placed on us. I got mine placed on my right chest and hers got placed on her left chest. We had some of the same surgeries,” said Hannah, who thanked all of her family and friends from Orangeburg and surrounding areas for all of their love and support.

“We’re thankful for the fundraisers and just the thoughts and prayers of everybody. That means a lot. When something tragic like this happens, you just need all the prayers and support that you can get,” said Wendy, noting that the family now has a blog set up at www.2009SouthCarolinaChampion.blogspot.com. She said interested individuals can visit the blog and follow the family’s journey from Orlando and beyond.

“We have to update this blog every day while we’re there,” Wendy said.

Palmetto Health Foundation spokeswoman Ashley Dusenberry said the nonprofit organization supports the mission, purposes and activities of Palmetto Health and its related organizations, including the Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, which opened in June 2008. The Children’s Miracle Network is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals. Each year, the 170 network hospitals nationwide provide medial care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of children overcome various diseases and injuries.

“We see more than 82,000 children per year at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital,” said Dusenberry, including 1,511 from Orangeburg from October 2007 to September 2008. She said Hannah’s story of survival is worthy of recognition.

“The story was so compelling. Here was a little 5-year-old girl who was battling leukemia during the same time her mother was battling cancer. ... They ended up doing all sorts of cancer-related treatment together, and they relied on each other. That made it a great story,” she said.

n T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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