Walking all over cancer

Molly Kimball, a PV freshman, sped down her driveway with the breeze blowing against her face. In that moment, she felt alive. Suddenly, she rolled, uncontrollably, into the street. Her parents chased after her.

The doctors said she would never be able to ride a bike again. The doctors said that the brain tumor was too severe. The doctors said that was it; she could not do what she used to.

Well, the doctors were wrong.

Molly Kimball had forgotten how to use the brakes on her bike, since she hadn’t ridden a bike in multiple years. She crashed into the sidewalk and suffered a few cuts. She persevered, and continued to practice and try riding her bike after that.

“The best moment was watching her overcome her struggles and push forward,” her brother, a senior at PV, Conor Kimball said. “She inspires me because of how tough she was. Now I would never give up in any scenario anymore and that’s for and because of my sister.”

On October 2, Molly Kimball, her friends, and her family were only a few of the participants in the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation Children’s Walk at the Overpeck Country Park in Ridgefield Park, NJ. The participants gathered for a casual walk around the park with hopes of raising money for and bringing awareness to the cause.

Molly Kimball’s group walked for the cause because she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor at 6 years old.

There was a large turnout and the organization raised about $2,445. Each group at the event walked for their own reasons, but Molly Kimball’s group walked to honor her since she was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 6 years old.

“The Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation is an organization that has been helping me throughout my diagnosis and helped me join camps that help me get to know other cancer survivors,” Molly Kimball said. “This helped me feel comfortable with my disease.”

Before Molly Kimball was diagnosed she was constantly throwing up with no explanation behind it. Her parents were concerned and rushed her to the hospital where she was tested for diagnoses throughout the night.

Molly Kimball did not understand the meaning of cancer.

Molly’s mom was determined to find the best doctors possible even though they new that the survival rate was not great.

She did not know why the doctors would not let her go home or to school after her first surgery. However, the doctors could not remove all of the tumor due to it being too deep. Removing it could have resulted in permanent brain damage. After multiple surgeries, the tumor continued to grow back. She endured through a total of eight surgeries, resulting in many sleepless nights for her and her family.

The tumor was against her brain stem, a vital region in the brain. It’s size closely resembled the size of a golf ball.

The doctors told her that she would not be able to do anything she typically would for a few months. Months eventually became years.

“My social life was put on a pause because of my cancer,” Molly Kimball said.

Molly Kimball, as a kindergartner, was forced to leave school so she could be treated for her tumor.  

Alternatively, she was homeschooled. Due to the homeschooling, Molly Kimball was not able to make friends since she was the only person in her classes. When she returned to school in fourth grade, cancer free, it had already been four years since she had seen any of her classmates.

Upon her return, she met Amanda Vetterlein and reunited with Julianna Koeniges, both freshmen at PV, who are her best friends.

“Words can’t even describe how inspiring Molly is to me,” Koeniges said. “She is just so strong and still manages to be so happy every day. It rubs off on everyone around her, especially me. The room becomes a happier place when Molly Kimball is there.”

Similar to Koeniges, Vetterlein feels inspired by the events of Molly Kimball’s past and her courage and determination.

“Molly is always so happy and positive about everything,” Vetterlein said. “She is still so happy about everything, even after what she’s gone through and inspires me to do the same.”

Despite her struggles and weaknesses, Molly Kimball has decided to speak out about her illness at girl scout troop as well as through participating in events that raise awareness to the cause.   

“I learned that even though some bad things can happen to you in your life and they can make you feel like it can never get better you just have to move on,” Molly Kimball said.  You can realize that even though bad things are happening to you there is always a way to move on and push through.”