Kayla Genoble is just like any other eight year old girl. She likes animals (especially snakes), playing with Barbie dolls, making bracelets, painting her nails and riding her bike. Last week when Kayla fell off her bicycle, the result turned the Genoble family’s lives upside-down.
Possible hints of the young girl’s serious condition cropped up two months ago, her mother, Angela Dryden, said.
“A couple months ago Kayla started complaining about growing pains in her leg,” she said. “She wrecked her bike last week and said it hurt, so we took her to the hospital.”
The doctors said there were abnormalities in her X-ray and sent Michael Genoble, Kayla’s father, and Dryden to Children’s Mercy in Kansas City. It was there that they found out Kayla has osteosarcoma, a cancerous bone tumor that grows rapidly, in her left leg femur bone. The news obviously came as a shock to them.
“We felt like it was our fault,” Dryden said. “But it had only been there for 45 days, so we caught it very early.”
On Tuesday morning Genoble and Dryden traveled with Kayla to Children’s Mercy to begin the first round of three months of chemotherapy. After chemotherapy there will be physical therapy.
“I’m not scared but I’m a little upset,” Kayla said.
She is now sporting a new hairdo. Genoble said she cut her hair short and donated the rest to Locks of Love to help kids like her.
“She is being a strong girl,” Genoble said. “She is treating it like it’s a little cold.”
“She’s telling us not to cry and to stay strong,” Dryden added.
Genoble and Dryden grew up in Iola and the community support quickly poured in. On Sunday there was a bake sale at Walmart to help with medical costs and lodging. Tabitha Wilson, Genoble’s mother, said there will be a garage sale at the American Legion on Saturday. Proceeds from the items donated and sold will go to Kayla. Items can be dropped off at Wilson’s home, 613 S. Buckeye, Iola. On April 3 they will work the concession stand at Quarter Mania at the Armory. Those proceeds will also go to Kayla. On April 4 will be “paint the town yellow” for Kayla and on April 5 there will be a dinner benefit at the Colony Diner.
Wilson also created a Prayers for Kayla Facebook page so community members can keep track of Kayla’s progress. So far there are more than 1,300 likes on the page. Team Kayla T-shirts can be purchased for $20.
“We are so thankful for what people have done for us,” Wilson said. “Tiny towns pull together.”
While Genoble and Dryden are in Kansas City with Kayla their other daughter Mahailie will stay with relatives.
“It will be hard since she’s never been away from them,” Wilson said.
The journey will be a long one for the Genoble family but the support is what keeps them going.
“Please continue to pray for her and keep us in your thoughts,” Genoble said. “We’re riding this on faith.”
Prayers for Kayla Community supports young cancer patient
