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‘Your Child Has Cancer,’ One Family’s Response to This Devastating News

By  //  March 7, 2025

Mike and Megan Koenig respond to the news that their 20-month-old daughter Blakely has cancer

Blakely Koenig was 26 days past her first birthday when she was diagnosed with cancer. Above, she is pictured with her dad, Mike, and mom, Megan. Her parents recently shared their thoughts about Blakely’s diagnosis with the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson.  

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – “Your daughter has cancer.” As a parent, those are words you would never expect to hear. Unfortunately, on August 14th, these words weren’t just a fear; they became a reality.

Our daughter, Blakely, had just celebrated her first birthday surrounded by friends and family. Twenty-six days later, our lives were turned upside down.

After taking Blakely to the pediatrician for abnormal bruising, we were told to pack a bag and head to the ER immediately. From there, Blakely was airlifted to AdventHealth Children’s Hospital, where her oncologist informed us that she had been diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

We were given little time to process the terrible news before nurses came in to begin the time-sensitive blood and platelet transfusions. This marked the beginning of many transfusions, chemotherapy treatments, and sedated procedures.

Blakely Koenig was 26 days past her first birthday when she was diagnosed with cancer. She is pictured with her dad, Mike, and mom, Megan. A bike run/scavenger hunt fundraiser will be held for Blakely and family on Sunday, March 16, starting at the American Legion Post 22 in Cocoa at 9 a.m. and concluding at the H&D Roadhouse in Merritt Island.

Watching your daughter be put to sleep or pumped full of chemotherapy is something we will never get used to; it is absolutely heartbreaking and an indescribable feeling. Having a child with cancer is absolutely the worst thing you can ever imagine. The rollercoaster of emotions never end and each day we spend holding our breath.

The good days give you hope and a glimmer of normal life. But the bad days remind us that our baby is literally fighting for her life. It takes every bit of strength to assure her that everything is okay and this won’t last forever. We try to stay positive for her, but any happiness brings an immediate wave of guilt.

Why do we deserve to be happy? Our days are consumed with remembering when to give medication and obsessing with taking her temperature because any sign of a fever means a trip to the emergency room. Our nights are reserved for the praying and crying we couldn’t bear to let her see during the day.

Blakely Koenig was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia 26 days after her first birthday. Her parents recently shared their thoughts about Blakely’s diagnosis with the Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson.

We are blessed to know our prayers are being answered; she has been responding well to all of her treatments so far. She has remained negative for cancer cells detected in both her bone marrow and cerebrospinal fluid.

This is a long, hard road, but we could not do it without the support of our family, friends, and our entire village. We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers we receive daily. This journey is nowhere near over, but our sweet warrior is a fighter and the strongest girl we know. She WILL beat this.

NOTE: A fundraiser will be held for Blakely and her family on Sunday, March 16. For information on the fundraiser, CLICK HERE. You can support Blakely during her battle through a Venmo account (Megan-Koenig321) or through a GoFundMe account – CLICK HERE.