Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD  –   Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, BETHESDA, MD. – July 19 marked the three-month anniversary of the loss of Savi Redman, diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the age of 7. Her legacy endures through her positive impact on the pediatric oncology department at Walter Reed and all who had the privilege of meeting her.

“She was the light of our lives, just a unicorn. Always positive, always energetic, and [she] found the joy in every single day,” said Shannon Feaster, Savi's mother.
Savi courageously fought stage four neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that affects nerve cell groupings in the body. This type of cancer typically impacts children aged 5 years or younger and accounts for fewer than 20,000 cases in the United States annually.

Savi's journey began at summer camp, where she experienced severe discomfort in her hip. As a result, she returned home early to seek medical evaluation and was subsequently referred to Walter Reed for further examination. “She came in for an ultrasound in the rheumatology department, and they saw a mass in her abdomen right on her adrenal gland that was pressing a little bit on the kidney,” Feaster shared. “Dr. Kip Hartman and U.S. Army Maj. (Dr.) Donald Rees are the ones who originally informed us that it looked like neuroblastoma, and they were concerned that it would be a later stage, and it ended up being stage four.”

Given the low incidence of this form of cancer in children older than 5 years, diagnosing it can be tough. Developing an effective treatment strategy tailored to each patient facing neuroblastoma can also present similar challenges.
“Every family’s cancer journey is different, and Savi’s represented a very complicated diagnosis,” stated U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Rich Zanetti, Walter Reed’s division chief of pediatric oncology, when discussing the treatment plan created for Savi, “Neuroblastoma has a very wide spectrum of disease type presentations. Savi had a very advanced form right at diagnosis, which we knew requires almost all our therapeutic modalities upfront.”
Given the rarity of neuroblastoma, Savi's involvement in several clinical trials was essential for her treatment. “That’s really at the stage where clinical trials are important, to get access to the latest and greatest medications, but also the regimens that are available,” Zanetti noted. Her care team handpicked the sites selected for Savi’s clinical trials to fit her unique diagnosis and provide her with the best form of care.

“The rarity of this disease is important to note. [There are] less than 800 cases a year and there are not a lot of case studies and trials out there.” Trials offer cutting-edge therapy and medication combinations specifically designed for the distinct biology of rare cancers like neuroblastoma. Participation in clinical trials can also further scientific research and potentially benefit future patients.

During her time within Walter Reed’s Pediatric Oncology unit, Savi was a light to all who met her. Savi’s primary nurse, Tiffany James, recalls her as very goal-oriented. “She [had] this spirit of determination,” she smiled fondly as she recalled. “She had no problems voicing her opinions, her feelings, and what she needed, and the other part is that it was never done in a rude or sassy way, just letting you know here is the plan, she was a goal-focused person.”

Savi’s goals went beyond treatment, as Feaster describes her daughter’s most significant focus was outside the hospital. “One of her biggest goals was to get into the school building; she wanted to socialize with her peers more regularly.” Savi, along with help from her family and health care team, was ultimately able to achieve that goal. “As long as it is safe, find a way that makes sense for the patient to be able to do it the way they want to do it. I think that is always a powerful remembrance,” stated Zanetti.
“When you are diagnosed with cancer people think you lay in bed all day, and Savi would have nothing to do with that. She danced, she sang, she had a love for animals so she would always tell us about her horses. She did not allow cancer to define her,” said Stacee Springer, the Pediatric Oncology Social Worker at Walter Reed. Savi’s impact on those she interacted with at Walter Reed was profound.

Following Savi’s passing, Feaster initiated a project in her honor, to assist children facing similar health challenges. “This is an opportunity for us to help other kids like Savi, other little warriors fighting for their lives,” said Feaster. This initiative seeks to improve the quality of life for young patients undergoing cancer treatments by providing them with the necessary resources and support.