Local cancer survivor graduates high school with honors

INDIANAPOLIS — West Lafayette senior Mikayla Pelfree is about to graduate high school, but it didn't come easy. The teen spent most of her school years in and out of the hospital fighting acute myeloid leukemia.

Her teenage years haven't been what you'd call normal. Navigating high school can be hard enough on its own, but imagine battling cancer at the same time.

"She did it with grace and a smile and there are not enough words in the English language to describe how proud and how amazing she is," Misty Falk, Mikayla's mom said.

Thursday morning at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital, nurses, teachers, doctors, and family gathered to celebrate Mikayla graduating high school.

"[Mikayla] will be walking across that stage with her head held high. Just all that she's accomplished. I can only hope to be as awesome as she is," Falk said.

During the celebration, she was given orange graduation cords to symbolize the leukemia ribbon.

"One of the goals that I set in the hospital, and I told Heather and mom and dad, I do not want to graduate with my sister because she is going to be graduating next year," Pelfree said. "I was like I do not want to be held back and have to graduate with my sister."

Not only will Mikayla be graduating, but she will also graduate with honors and a few college credits.

She is able to graduate on time in part because of the "school away from school" program at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital.

Teachers are tasked with helping keep patients on track.

There is a classroom where kids can go while staying in the hospital to do their homework and receive help. If they aren't able to leave the room, like in Mikayla's case, the hospital teachers will help them.

After graduation, Mikayla said she plans to become a child oncology nurse, and hopes to one day work at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital. She said her nurses were amazing during her eight-and-a-half-month stay, and they played a part in her career aspirations.

Mikayla said she is excited about her next journey. She will be attending Ball State in the fall.

She is now cancer-free, but during Thursday's celebration family reflected on what the fight was like.

"There was a lot of tough days," Pelfree said.

Falk also said she will never forget the day— April 10, 2020, when she received her daughter's diagnosis. It was Good Friday and Easter weekend.

Mikayla was 16 at the time. A thriving sophomore track star. Her family said it all happened quickly.

"I think it was just a lot of shock," Pelfree said. "I was conditioning for track being all fine then you get diagnosed with cancer. It's something you don't expect," said Mikayla."

Mikayla's mom took her to the emergency room because she was having chest pain. She also had been having pain near her shoulder.

After blood labs were drawn they were given the diagnosis. She went to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital where she underwent chemo and had to stay isolated in her room.

"She wanted to shave her head because it kept falling all over the place," Falk said. "So I started shaving her head and that was the moment, the moment it became real."

She is cancer-free and thriving again. She even got to participate in track again.

Mikayla created a program called "kits of hope." She creates baskets filled with supplies like bedsheets, socks, stuffed animals and more. All she said are needed in the hospital.

Her family has documented her entire journey on Facebook. To read more on her battle with cancer, click here.