One year ago, Katie and Sean Fuller’s world shifted when their bright-eyed daughter, Cora, was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at just four years old. What began with subtle symptoms—clinginess, low-grade fevers, and an unusual shift in her eye movement—quickly escalated into a whirlwind of hospital visits, testing, and ultimately, a diagnosis no parent wants to hear.

Since then, Cora, along with Katie, Sean, and her 10-year-old sister, McKenna, has been navigating the ups and downs of treatment. As of last Friday, March 21, the family has reached a major milestone: the completion of 10 rounds of low-dose radiation therapy. This treatment, rarely used for leukemia patients, was deemed necessary due to clusters of leukemia cells found near Cora’s optic nerve and within her central nervous system.

“It was a really unique presentation,” Katie shared. “The concern was that chemotherapy alone wouldn’t be able to reach all the cells in that area because of the blood-brain barrier. Radiation was their way of ensuring they wiped out anything that could be hiding.”

Cora faced the treatments bravely, traveling to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt every weekday for two weeks—an enormous challenge for any child, let alone one already battling leukemia. “She did so well,” Katie said with a proud smile. “She’s incredibly strong. Even on those early mornings when we were leaving the house before dawn, she just pushed through.”

With radiation behind her, Cora has now entered the “maintenance phase” of her treatment—a long road that will extend into April 2026 if all goes according to plan. She takes a daily chemotherapy pill called mercaptopurine (6-MP), visits the clinic every two weeks, and receives additional chemotherapy through her port every three months.

Like many five-year-olds, taking pills was a tough transition at first. “It used to be a daily battle,” Katie admitted. “But now, she’s gotten the hang of it. She’s really doing well.”

Still, life in maintenance isn’t simple. A mild fever for most children means Tylenol and rest. For Cora, it means an immediate trip to the ER, rounds of bloodwork, and the constant fear of infection. “We’ve learned to live in the gray,” Katie said. “Every day, we’re just doing our best.”

With Sean frequently on the road as a touring musician with Tyler Hubbard (formerly of Florida Georgia Line), Katie often shoulders the brunt of caregiving. While friends and family have stepped in along the way, sustaining support over the long haul has been challenging. Though Sean’s tour schedule now mostly spans weekends, recent international travel—like a week-long trip to Europe—has highlighted how quickly the balancing act can become overwhelming.

“There have been a lot of early mornings and middle-of-the-night planning sessions,” Katie said. “If Cora gets a fever and Sean’s away, I have to be ready to rush to the ER and have someone here for McKenna.”

That reality has inspired something bigger. Katie and Sean hope to one day launch a nonprofit called Cora’s Crew, designed to offer practical, long-term support to families of children in treatment—helping with everything from groceries and cleaning to transportation and companionship.

“There are so many amazing organizations out there helping with bills or sending care packages, but we’ve found there’s a real gap when it comes to day-to-day needs. Our goal is to be there not just at the beginning, but for the long road ahead.”

Cora’s own long journey will include regular checkups for the rest of her life, but for now, she’s looking forward to joining her big sister at Elevate Enrichment, a once-a-week learning program for homeschoolers, this fall. “She hasn’t had much time with kids her age,” Katie said. “We’re really hopeful this will give her that sense of normalcy and connection.”

For now, the family is taking things one day at a time, soaking up the small joys: a laugh, a dance party, a moment without fear. “She’s still very much in treatment,” Katie reminded, “but she’s also still very much a kid. And we’re doing everything we can to keep it that way.”

From a difficult diagnosis to a powerful new vision, the spirit of Cora’s journey is captured in the hashtag that has rallied friends, neighbors, and even strangers: #Cora’sCrew. And if Katie has her way, that crew is just getting started.