A Mighty Cancer Warrior

Kila Tripp sets out to raise money for cancer research at Cincinnati Children’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute

Written by Sheree Allgood with Kila Tripp

Quiet dignity and steely determination belie the youthful sophistication and incredibly focused countenance of Kila Tripp. This past spring, she fomented a plan to raise $100,000 for cancer research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s Cancer and Blood Disease Institute (CBDI) to coincide with Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, which is September. Her gratitude comes from a place none of us wishes ever to come from…that of a two-time cancer survivor.

Kila’s journey began at age 14 in January 2012 during her freshman year at Ursuline Academy. She had been experiencing some fatigue and dizziness which she attributed to her busy schedule, but when she fainted on the tennis court, she made a doctor’s appointment. After a series of tests, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Being acute, the disease progressed rapidly, creating a proliferation of immature blood cells, involving lymphocytes, or white blood cells, our body’s workhorse cells which fight infection.

Acute lymphocytic leukemia occurs when a bone marrow cell develops an error in its DNA. The error tells the cells to continue growing and dividing when a healthy cell would normally stop dividing and eventually die. Abnormal cells begin to crowd out the healthy cells, and the function of the blood is impaired. This type of blood cancer is usually found in children, although adults can also be diagnosed with it. Kila’s parents, Rick and Cindy Tripp, along with extended family members and friends, immediately began researching the top pediatric cancer centers in the world, only to find out that one of the premier pediatric oncology centers, with specialists versed in the many nuances of Kila’s type of leukemia, was housed locally at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She began her treatment there, knowing that the next two-and-a-half years would be dedicated to treatment and healing.

As an active teen, Kila was determined not to miss a minute of her high school years and excelled both at school and at her extracurriculars. Her high school achievements can in large part be attributed to the supportive staff of Cincinnati Children’s CBDI, who advocated on Kila’s behalf and encouraged her to excel. The Tripp family soon learned that the medical team treating Kila was not just interested in her as a patient, but as a young, vibrant teen. This holistic approach allowed her the opportunity to live her life to the fullest, even during difficult treatments and occasional setbacks.

Anyone who has been through cancer treatment or been faced with a life-altering illness knows that the goalposts can change, and often do, especially where treatment is concerned. Her therapy included chemo and cranial radiation. As Kila ran into obstacles, her doctors adjusted her procedures to mitigate long-term side effects. At the time of Kila’s treatment, steroids served as an important part of her medication regime. While an effective and crucial drug in many serious illnesses, steroids can weaken the body’s ability to fight other infections, and long-term use can lead to myriad other issues. Kila’s chemotherapy left her with Avascular Necrosis, which causes the death of bone tissues from lack of blood supply. Another test to a list of challenges facing this vivacious young woman.

Despite these treatment setbacks, Kila’s dogged determination did not allow cancer to hamper her high school aspirations. In concert with her teachers and the Children’s Hospital staff, Kila remained at Ursuline, graduated on time, and enrolled at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. She co-led the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Cincinnati for two years, helping raise $120,000 in the first year, and $180,000 the second. While at Wake Forest, she remained a committed fundraiser for cancer research by becoming an executive board member of Wake ‘n’ Shake, a 12-hour dance marathon benefitting the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund, which annually raises over $300,000. In her senior year at Wake, Kila co-led the event and helped raise a whopping $430,000 for cancer research.

After celebrating five years of being cancer-free in April 2019, Kila graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wake Forest University with degrees in Economics and Political Science and a minor in Bioethics. Her plan was to move to Washington, D.C. the following summer, and start her working life at Deloitte Consulting. Once again, the goalpost was moved.

On a recommendation from her gynecologist, Kila went for a mammogram that lead to a biopsy of the tissue around her breast and lymph nodes. Only a week after crossing the stage to receive her diploma, Kila learned that her cancer had returned. By this time her father, Rick had taken a new position and her family had relocated to Memphis after 30 years in Greater Cincinnati. The challenge of treatment arose again…should she be treated in Memphis, Washington, D.C., or Cincinnati? For Kila, the decision was an easy one. She wanted to return to the medical team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital where she knew she would receive excellent care. More importantly, she knew that CBDI would treat adults with pediatric forms of cancer, which made her decision firm. Because of this institute’s remarkable strides in research, Kila’s treatment is six months shorter and she’s experiencing fewer side effects.

Since returning to Cincinnati in June of 2019 to begin her treatment, Kila is more appreciative of the care and commitment she has received and continues to receive at Cincinnati’s Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorder Institute, and the enormous lengths the medical teams undertake to care for all their patients. Her appreciation is beyond measure, and she is ever grateful for all the headway that has been made, thanks to groundbreaking cancer research taking place every day at Cincinnati’s Children’s.

Kila’s passion has translated into her own fundraising drive to benefit the continued research in pediatric cancer and blood disorders at Children’s. The Fund the Cure Next Door was born from Kila’s dedication to helping propel and maintain pediatric cancer research. The campaign will take place through the month of September, marking Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Fund the Cure Next Door aims to raise $100,000 for pediatric cancer research and to spread awareness of the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute to Cincinnati and beyond, highlighting in particular how the research and care impacts the local, national, and international cancer communities. With the support of the Greater Cincinnati area, Kila is committed to the success of Fund the Cure Next Door and ensuring that the staff of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and specifically the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute will continue to save young lives.

To help Kila reach her goal, consider a donation to cincinnatichildrens.org/goto/fundthecure or contact fundthecurnxtdoor@gmail.com