‘Tis the time of year to believe in miracles, and a Smethport
family has had some amazing news that certainly seems to
qualify.

Salena Williams, the 3-year-old girl diagnosed with leukemia on
Dec. 1, is making a tremendous improvement.

“The results of her biopsy came back,” her mother Jayme Williams
said on Thursday. “Her leukemia cells are at 3 percent.”

While the number sounded good, Salena’s parents, Jayme and
Nathan Williams, checked with her doctors at Children’s Hospital of
Pittsburgh to see for sure what it meant.

“When she was first diagnosed, they were at 71 percent. Within
two weeks of treatment, it dropped her down to 3 percent. Anything
below five is considered remission.”

To what do the doctors attribute her rapid response to the
treatments?

“They said it must be that we caught her at an early time,”
Jayme Williams said. The family is cautiously optimistic, though,
because, “It doesn’t mean it can’t come back.”

But now, she’s home for Christmas. Unfortunately, the illness
and treatments have taken their toll on her Christmas spirit.

“She’s not into any of that,” Jayme Williams explained, saying
that Salena has been “moody and mean” from the steroid Decadron she
has to take with the chemotherapy.

Salena can spend Christmas with her family, her mother
explained, saying the doctors put some restrictions on her
activity. “I asked if she can be around people for Christmas. They
said as long as she’s not sitting on anybody’s lap and there’s good
hand-washing.

“Just if I could get her out of those mean streaks,” her mother
said with a laugh. The family is counting down the days until the
Decadron comes to an end, and the mood swings with it.

Her treatments will continue well into the new year, as the
Williams family will have to take Salena to Pittsburgh once a week
for six months for her to continue with chemotherapy.

“She’s goes back on Tuesday for treatment,” Jayme Williams said.
“Every week she gets chemo. Every two weeks, she gets bone marrow
and spinal tap … chemo in her spine.

“She’s doing tremendous,” her mother said. “We’ve been home for
a week now. She’s had no fever or anything. My husband and daughter
had the flu, but she never got sick.

“God must be looking out for me,” she added.

God, their family and a generous community, that is. Jayme
Williams said her father-in-law has been watching the girls so she
could go back to work, and other family members are helping all the
time.

“We want to thank everybody for all they’ve done so far,” Jayme
Williams said. “It’s just been amazing what everybody’s been
doing.”

An account has been established with Hamlin Bank for donations
for the family to help with expenses related to the trips for
Salena’s health care and the family’s needs. Donations can be made
at any branch of Hamlin Bank to the Account for Salena
Williams.

“People we don’t even know have been putting money in the
account,” Jayme Williams said, her voice brimming with emotion.
“It’s just so overwhelming. People are stretching out their hearts
… people who don’t have money to spare.

“It easily costs $150 to go down (to Children’s Hospital of
Pittsburgh) a week,” she said. “It’s just amazing what a small
community we live in and how many people you find out that
care.

“We want to let everybody know how much we appreciate the cards,
thoughts, the prayers, the donations. It was amazing once I got
home and saw the caller ID and saw how many people were
calling.”

There will be a benefit for the family at the Smethport fire
hall from noon to 6 p.m. Jan. 28.

“I want to thank everybody for everything they’ve done so far,”
Jayme Williams said.