Taylor's Story

Taylor Ray Baker was born on June 25, 2011 at the Rocky View Hospital in Calgary. Weighing in at 9.2 lbs and 24 inches long, she was a little overdue but ready to enter the world and bring joy to mother, Cory Baiton, and father, Jeremy Baker.

There were, however, a few complications following Taylor’s arrival. At birth, she encountered some aspiration problems that led to collapsed lungs and requiring an emergency trip to intensive care. Taylor quickly bounced back and was taken off breathing apparatus within hours. The shock of this first challenge in Taylor’s life intensified soon after the intensive care visit, when routine check-ups and follow-up care revealed a large mass in Taylor’s spinal area that proved to be the unmistakable signs of an infancy cancer called neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma is the fifth most-common form of infancy cancer and has become the fight of Taylor’s young life – a fight she is waging not alone, but with all the strength and support her family can muster.

Since her neuroblastoma diagnosis, Taylor’s fight has included:

•    Admission to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary

•    Numerous rounds of tests, scans, biopsies and scores of consultations with specialists that confirmed Taylor had Stage 2 cancer

•    Surgery in October 2011 to remove the tumor from her spine – which was largely successful, with the removal of 98 per cent of the tumor

•    More bad news on Dec. 28, when an MRI revealed the tumor had returned – with different characteristics, including the fact it was a more aggressive cancer, with nine new masses, including some on her liver and heart. With this discovery, Taylor was diagnosed with inoperable Stage 4 cancer

•    Having determined that surgery wasn’t an option, Taylor’s medical team prescribed chemotherapy to fight the cancer

•    At the age of only six months, in January 2012, Taylor underwent another four-hour surgery to implant an access port for the chemotherapy; in addition, Taylor went through additional bone marrow and liver biopsies

•    The first round of chemotherapy – four cycles – ran for about three months

•    Taylor subsequently endured a second round of chemotherapy and continues to fight

We will continue to provide updates on Taylor’s battle with neuroblastoma …but in the interim, please help us to help Taylor. See how you can help here.