DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) - With her smile and positive attitude, you may not be able to tell how much of a rollercoaster the past few months have been for Harper Harrell and her mom, Heather Hindin.
“I’m just really happy and I feel great. It’s just amazing,” Harrell said. “(But) there were some days that I felt so different, and I didn’t like it. I had to tell myself that you are not alone."
In mid-October, Harrell was diagnosed with leukemia. Within days, she started chemotherapy.
“This isn’t for nothing. I’m going to be better. I’m going to have everything I used to have,” Harrell said.
Her mom talked on how her daughter has taken the diagnosis head-on and is working to handle the diagnosis and the day-to-day in her own way.
“Her emotional intelligence is just through the roof. I love how she’s in touch with her feelings, how well she advocates for herself,” Hindin added.
With Harrell’s optimism and with the help of Custom Ink, she designed this Peace Out Cancer t-shirt in January.
She called the campaign, Brave Like Harper.
Harrell and her mom originally set a goal of selling more than 100 shirts, only for it to take off.
“It was such a bright spot to just watch those numbers go up and to see on the actual campaign page where so many messages from people that we know and people that we don’t know (are there),” Hindin said.
They have sold hundreds of shirts and have raked in more than $27,000.
“Even before I went through this tough time, I really wanted to make something and sell it, but I never knew it was going to be like this,” Harrell said.
Half of the proceeds will go towards the cost of medications and medical supplies. The other half will be donated to the V Foundation for Cancer Research, a cancer research company that has a large presence in the Triangle.
The foundation is also named after the late North Carolina State University basketball coach Jim Valvano.
It seemed the campaign was just what Harper needed, as earlier this month, Harrell got more good news. She’s now cancer-free.
“We have a lot of living to catch up on,” Hindin said smiling.
Harrell said she will continue treatments, but plans to grow her hair back out and go to school.
Anyone who wants to read more about the #BraveLikeHarper campaign can view the fundraising campaign here.
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