Go For It With Mia Power!

Mia Strobel is a beautiful seven-year-old girl who was diagnosed with leukemia and a heart defect on Christmas Day four years ago. Since then, she has literally fought every single day for her life and has courageously endured months of chemotherapy, two heart surgeries and endless and often unbearable effects of her treatments. In 2008, Mia began feeling better and wanted to be like other kids her age. She compiled a "list of things to do when I am better" and began tackling some of her dreams. Her hair grew back and she was able to go to school, play soccer, basketball and even become a cheerleader. In June 2009, however, Mia underwent heart bypass surgery, and soon thereafter the family learned that her leukemia returned and the prognosis was not good.

Mia had to undergo intensive chemotherapy while the family considered her options. Thankfully, Mia's ten-year-old brother Steven was a match and a sibling-donated bone marrow transplant was possible. Mia was able to spend Christmas 2009 at home, but returned to the hospital on January 4, 2010 to start the grueling process of conditioning for the transplant, including total body irradiation. We are hoping and praying that the transplant was successful.

Mia's father recently wrote about Mia's ordeal: "When Mia was seven, the year she got to school, her second grade class had a field trip back in Crow's Woods after school and I took her. She held my hand the whole time and was so excited. She was smiling ear to ear as we crossed a little bridge, I asked her why she was so excited and she said, "Daddy, I have never been in the woods before", that's when you learn not to take little things for granted."

Please help us help the Strobel family by supporting the Canuso Foundation.