{"id":2757,"date":"2012-01-04T08:06:38","date_gmt":"2012-01-04T13:06:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/?p=2757"},"modified":"2012-02-08T18:09:45","modified_gmt":"2012-02-08T23:09:45","slug":"2757","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/index.php\/2012\/01\/2757\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle school student inspires DHS"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Carli Striker & Tom Wheadon
\n<\/strong>managing sports & managing feature<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

“Cancer is a word that no one wants to hear,\u201d JMS math teacher Mark Juengel, the father of Mary Juengel, said. \u201cSo when all of a sudden you hear it, it\u2019s scary. No question.\u201d<\/p>\n

Around Oct. 19, eleven-year-old Mary Juengel began to feel sick. She had a low grade fever and was having trouble breathing. After a week of taking antibiotics, for what her pediatrician believed to be a sinus infection, Mary\u2019s neck began to swell up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t understand what was going on,\u201d Marni Juengel, Mary\u2019s mother, said. \u201cWe went to Saginaw, and after an hour of being there she was diagnosed with lymphoma.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Juengels were immediately sent to the University of Michigan to see doctors about a large tumor which covered both of Mary\u2019s lungs, her heart, and her carotid artery. Once they arrived, they learned that Mary did not have lymphoma, but instead, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bad part about T-cell is that it likes to come back,\u201d Mark said. \u201cThat\u2019s why she has to have treatment for two years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Less than twelve hours after this diagnosis, Mary had received a spinal tap and was beginning chemotherapy. She remained in the pediatric ICU at the University of Michigan for a week until the tumor began to shrink after daily chemo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt devastation and panic,\u201d Marni said. \u201cWith this tumor, I didn\u2019t know if this was going to suffocate her and I didn\u2019t know if they could stop it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the following weeks, Mary was also subject to high doses of steroids which made her feel a wide array of negative emotions.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe couldn\u2019t sleep, she had night terrors, she was extremely anxious,\u201d Marni said, \u201cI would say she has a real sweet disposition and it put an edge on her.\u201d<\/p>\n

As of now, Mary has stopped taking the steroids and is participating in a research study. As part of the study, she is undergoing intensive treatment consisting of regular chemo and a new experimental drug.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though it\u2019s probably been most intense, we feel like that\u2019s where God has placed her,\u201d Marni said.<\/p>\n

Mary\u2019s diagnosis and subsequent treatment have changed the daily lives of the Juengel family. Mary has had to take the year off school, and Mark has had to make sacrifices when it comes to his work as a math teacher.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a new normal,\u201d Mark said. \u201cThey say take one day at a time \u2013 but that\u2019s not me. I like having things planned out. This has forced us to take one day at a time, and we cherish every day. We pray she wakes up feeling good and goes to bed feeling good.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, the disease has hindered Mary\u2019s personal life. Mary, who was described by her mother as social, has been forced to stay home due to her compromised immune system.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t go out in public that much, can\u2019t have friends over, or go to friends\u2019 houses,\u201d Mary said.<\/p>\n

Mary believes one of the hardest parts of the whole process has been the physical sickness and hair loss, which her mother has had to gradually witness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just really, really hard to see her struggle, have her hair fall out, her face all puffy and have to put a big needle in the middle of her spine,\u201d Marni said. \u201cThose kinds of things are really hard, but she doesn\u2019t waiver. She doesn\u2019t waiver at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Juengels attribute this strength to their unshaken faith and trust in God.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe that God has big plans for Mary, no questions,\u201d Marni said. \u201cWe just have to trust God knows what he\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Juengels also believe the prayers and efforts of the community have been a large factor in Mary\u2019s wellbeing, as they have received hundreds of cards and messages from family, friends, and even strangers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re overwhelmed by it all,\u201d Mark said. \u201cIt truly blows us away. We\u2019re so thankful for everybody and their prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Almost 3,000 people have showed their support so far by joining the \u2018TEAM MARY\u2019 group on Facebook, and the movement has only grown from there. Countless Team Mary fundraising efforts have taken place since Mary\u2019s diagnosis, with all of the money going towards the Juengel family. Such efforts include selling orange and pink \u2018Team Mary\u2019 t-shirts and wrist bands, holding sporting events, and more. However, to the Juengel family, the Team Mary effort means more than financial support.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously it\u2019s been a huge help to offset our extra expenses \u2013 but it\u2019s been as much of a financial support as a moral support to us,\u201d Mark said. \u201cIt\u2019s just knowing people care \u2013 it means a lot to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

One individual who is attempting to help with the cause is DHS senior Megan Dambro. Dambro has been selling hair tinsels on Holly Jolly days at Lil\u2019 Pear Tree and donating profits and all tips to the Juengel family.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it would be a fabulous way to give back to a great cause,\u201d Dambro said.<\/p>\n

Dambro made just under $600 in donations the first week, and in total has donated $1,200.<\/p>\n

\u201cSupporting Mary helps me realize it\u2019s always great to give back,\u201d Dambro said. \u201cShe is a very inspirational little girl, and she could teach us all a thing or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sophomore Madison Mantyla, a family friend of the Juengels, also feels that Mary is an inspiration.<\/p>\n

\u201cMary\u2019s one of the most upbeat, kindest, funniest, most positive people I\u2019ve ever met; and [the community effort] just shows me how much of an impact she has had on people she hasn\u2019t even met,\u201d Mantyla said. \u201cShe\u2019s the only person I know who could get this many people to rally around her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the past few months have been difficult for the Juengels, the support from the community has greatly affected them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere hasn\u2019t been a day since diagnosis where we both haven\u2019t cried,\u201d Mark said. \u201cBut I\u2019ve cried as much about a card I\u2019ve read, or something someone has said or done as much as being upset about what we\u2019re dealing with. We trust in God, and he\u2019s going to take care of her.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

People show their support for local girl diagnosed with leukimia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[34,56],"class_list":["post-2757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1-news","tag-news-stories","tag-tri-cities-news"],"yoast_head":"\nMiddle school student inspires DHS - UPDATE ONLINE<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/index.php\/2012\/01\/2757\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Middle school student inspires DHS - UPDATE ONLINE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"People show their support for local girl diagnosed with leukimia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/update.midlandps.org\/index.php\/2012\/01\/2757\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UPDATE ONLINE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DHSUpdate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-01-04T13:06:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-02-08T23:09:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Update\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@DowHighUpdate\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@DowHighUpdate\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Update\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2012\\\/01\\\/2757\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2012\\\/01\\\/2757\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Update\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/be39f258dafaaac3e98f5951fe5e9198\"},\"headline\":\"Middle school student inspires DHS\",\"datePublished\":\"2012-01-04T13:06:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2012-02-08T23:09:45+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2012\\\/01\\\/2757\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1068,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/#organization\"},\"keywords\":[\"News Stories\",\"Tri-Cities News\"],\"articleSection\":[\"NEWS\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2012\\\/01\\\/2757\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2012\\\/01\\\/2757\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2012\\\/01\\\/2757\\\/\",\"name\":\"Middle school student inspires DHS - UPDATE ONLINE\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2012-01-04T13:06:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2012-02-08T23:09:45+00:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/index.php\\\/2012\\\/01\\\/2757\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/update.midlandps.org\\\/\",\"name\":\"UPDATE ONLINE\",\"description\":\"H.H. 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