Teenage leukemia survivor pursuing double major in forensic sciences, dreams of career with FBI

Getting your wisdom teeth removed often signals a rite of passage – a sign that you’re transitioning to adulthood. But when 16-year-old Addy Nelson’s recovery didn’t go as expected, it was the first sign of something else. “After two to three weeks, I was still really swollen, bleeding and even collapsed a few times,” Addy said.

Initial tests didn’t show anything wrong. But when her symptoms progressed to a severe headache, slurred speech and confusion, her parents rushed her to MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital and Pearl Tourville Women’s Pavilion. An MRI showed Addy’s lymph nodes were swollen.

I was diagnosed March 5, 2021, with leukemia,” she said. Specifically, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common type of cancer in children. As a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, it affects white blood cells, which are needed to fight infection.

Three days later, Addy checked into Shawn Jenkins to start treatment under the care of oncologist Jackie Kraveka, D.O., who also runs a lab dedicated to finding new treatments for children’s cancers.

The initial nine months were intense – Addy lost 50 pounds and her hair, and recalls being exhausted and bruised from multiple IV treatments. “At one point, I had two IVs in each arm and one in my hand because I needed so many different medicines and fluids,” she said.

Even after entering remission, she continued rigorous treatment to ensure every cancer cell was gone. In all, Addy was admitted to the hospital 11 times, spending 94 days in the children’s hospital.

During her stays, Addy was often confined to the cancer floor because of her weakened immune system. As the hospital’s top floor, it offers patients like Addy, who often endure the longest inpatient stays, the best views of downtown Charleston, the harbor and tidal areas. This state-of-the-art facility, which opened in February of 2020, stands as a testament to the community’s generosity, which provided the philanthropic funding needed to bring it to life.

"Being in the hospital for almost 100 days in total, especially during COVID, was incredibly isolating,” Addy said. “Watching TV shows like 'Bones' and playing games with my family helped, but it was still hard not being able to see friends or my sister."

Visits from certified therapy dogs on the PAWS (patient animal wellness service) team helped ease some of Addy’s loneliness. "They reminded me of my own pets and always made me smile, even when I was struggling,” Addy said. While a PAWS team visit is not covered by insurance, their services are free to patients because of the volunteers and donors who make it possible.

Addy’s last cancer treatment was June 22, 2023, the summer before her senior year of high school. Today she’s a freshman at Western Carolina University, double majoring in forensic biology and forensic anthropology. Those long hours watching "Bones" in the hospital ignited her passion for a career with the FBI.

“My dream job is to become an FBI pathologist, performing autopsies and cracking high-profile criminal cases,” Addy said.

She extends her heartfelt thanks to the entire care team at Shawn Jenkins and the generous donors fueling their life-changing work. "I can't put into words how grateful I am for their support," she said. "Without their generosity, none of this would be possible."