 A diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at the "old" age of 11 made Amer Taha a high-risk patient. When he went into remission after just one week of treatment, he had reason to celebrate. But Amer's challenges were far from over.
After three months of intensive treatment, Amer began maintenance chemotherapy. On Thanksgiving Day he told his parents he didn't feel well and went to lie down. When Amer's mother went to check on him and caressed the left side of his face, he said, "Mom, I didn't feel that."
Amer was rushed to Children's Hospital at Providence, where a CAT scan revealed that he had had a stroke, a rare side effect of his cancer treatment. Completely paralyzed on his left side, Amer pushed through physical, occupational, and speech therapy to recover normal function.
Now 14 and full of life, Amer is a talented rapper and practical joker who finds reasons to celebrate all the time.
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