Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/635316
t m c » p u l s e | j a n / f e b 2 0 1 6 30 "I've said throughout my treatment that ballet is harder than cancer," Peyton said. "In ballet, you have a ton of things going through your head that you can't mess up. Cancer is still hard, but if you have a positive attitude, it makes it a lot easier." Peyton was recently given the opportunity to share her love for dance, and her positive outlook on life, as the smiling face of the Northwestern Mutual float at the 2016 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. She was selected from a pool of childhood cancer patients from around the country who submitted videos showcasing their greatest adventures, with the winner's story ultimately inspiring the compa- ny's float design. "We had this vision of helping peo- ple move forward with their dreams. It's what we are all about at Northwestern Mutual," said Jeff Reeter, managing partner at Northwestern Mutual. "We had this idea to tie our involvement with the Rose Bowl game with our passion to cure pediatric cancer." The idea to reach out to pediatric cancer patients came from the company's Childhood Cancer Program. Dreyer was among the physicians contacted to see if she had any patients who might like to participate. "When I got the email, I tried to think of fun, outgoing kids and Peyton immediately came to mind because she is so outgoing, artistic and clever," Dreyer said. "A couple of days later Peyton and her mother came back with an amazing video. It was stunning." When thinking of what her greatest adventure would be, Peyton admits it wasn't as easy as she expected. "You don't really think every day about what you would do if you could do absolutely anything," Peyton said. "When I thought of my idea, I asked my mom if it was too crazy." "My greatest adventure is to travel the world and visit all of the greatest ballet companies and get to meet their principal dancers, dance with them and see a show," Peyton said. "I have wanted to do this forever." The float was named "Dancing into Adventure" in honor of Peyton's greatest adventure. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake—one of her personal favorites— served as the inspiration for the float. The Richardson family traveled to California for the 2016 Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game. While there, Peyton met the cast of the Today Show, deco- rated her float and rode in the parade wearing a custom ballerina costume made by the Houston Ballet. "We chose Peyton from right here at Texas Children's because she is such a phenomenal young lady. She has a vision and this resilient spirit that we were just taken with," Reeter said. "Peyton's vision of dancing through life, even with everything that she has gone through, inspired all of us to dance more and enjoy life." Peyton had been wearing hats when she went out in public because she did not want people to see her without hair. During a checkup, Dreyer asked Peyton if she had been growing any hair back. "She took her cap off and she just had a whole head of fine red hair com- ing in and she looked so beautiful," said Dreyer. That evening, Peyton asked her mom to take her shopping so she could do some baking. When she came into the living room, she was wearing a headband instead of her normal hat. "We were at H-E-B and a woman wearing a hat came right up to Peyton, took off her hat and said, 'I didn't know I would meet my twin tonight,'" Richardson said. "The woman told Peyton she looked so beautiful and had given her the courage to take her own hat off." Along with the confidence of her new hair came a turn in Peyton's treatment. After receiving treatment for a year, Peyton recently began mainte- nance therapy. For her, maintenance therapy will last roughly two years and enable her to return to school and get back into her regular routine. Top left: After a severe reaction to methotrexate, Peyton began physical therapy to regain strength and mobility. Lower left: Peyton is tutored at home while she undergoes treatment for leukemia. She is motivated, driven and wants to keep her dream of being a ballerina. Cancer isn't going to get in her way. — DAVID MACHA Physical Therapist at Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center in Sugar Land