#kayleestrong In October 2018 Kaylee Marshfield spent several weeks at the Upstate Cancer Center in Syracuse, New York receiving chemotherapy treatment. During one visit she emptied out a small linen cupboard in her room and reclaimed it as “her office”, declaring that anyone who wished to enter must first knock. Kaylee Marshfield, age six, and her sister Abigail (left) fall from the New York State Fair’s “drop tower” ride on the last day of the 2018 fair. Every year the Marshfield family attends the week-long fair. In 2018 Kaylee was only able to attend three times as her level of strength fluctuated day-to-day as she fought the effects of both cancer and chemotherapy. As much of the first grade class at St. Rose of Lima Elementary School enjoys a carefree recess Kaylee Marshfield sits alone amidst her peers. In addition to having to navigate the physical ramifications of cancer and chemotherapy Kaylee also suffers from the social and emotional effects. When asked how she felt following the day at school Kaylee responded simply, "I feel alone." Todd and Kristina Marshfield quietly argue in their hotel room in Hershey, Pennsylvania while Kaylee listens nearby. Both parents have lost their jobs since the time Kaylee was first diagnosed, adding a layer of stress and tension to an already difficult situation. Before leaving to trick-or-treat on the evening of October 31, 2018 Kaylee retrieves "Night-Night", a beloved security blanket that accompanies her everywhere she goes. Kaylee dressed up as "Pinkie Pie", a character from My Little Pony, her sister Abigail dressed as a unicorn and Isabelle wore a baby shark costume. Tension between Kaylee and her younger sister Abigail flared up during an event to raise money for childhood cancer in downtown Syracuse, New York. Kaylee reacts to her mother's request she come inside shortly after returning from an afternoon at a local park. The Marshfield family returned to the New York State Fair in August 2019. Since last year's fair Kaylee has been found cancer-free and entered the second grade and both Todd and Kristina have found steady employment working at a bowling ally in Syracuse, New York. Though with improved health and her family relatively, financially stable Kaylee's story continues to develop each day and, in many ways, has just begun.
