Lillian’s Journey #warriorprincess
Bill Carlson, Founder of Tower Systems, with Niece Lillian Johannes
The Telecommunication Industry is a tight knit group of generous people. I’m asking for any size donation to help my eight year old cousin, Lillian Johannes as she battles Leukemia for the 2nd time in her short life. Lillian and I were both diagnosed with cancer months apart from each other, and over the course of the last 2.5 years, we were fighting it together, like the strong warrior princesses we are. As my cancer went into remission, Lillian fell into Isolated CNS Relapse ALL. She currently seeks treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). For those who know my family, Lillian is the granddaughter of Jon & Jeannie Frolander, genuine and kind, real salt of the earth people. Please consider making a donation at GoFundMe – Lillian Strong. Please see attached for more details. Thank you. ~Kari L. Carlson, Tower Systems
Meet Lillian. She is 8 years old. In the Fall of 2018 Lillian developed symptoms of fatigue, fevers and swollen
lymph nodes. After many doctors’ appointments the lab work came back abnormal. The results were
reviewed by an Oncologist at Children’s Hospital in Minnesota and soon after Lillian went in for more testing.
In January 2019 we learned that Lillian has B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B Cell ALL).
Her treatment started immediately which included steroids, many lumbar punctures and chemotherapy. After 2
years of treatment, she finally reached the point where she could have her port removed, it seemed like it was
the light at the end of the tunnel. In February 2021 she successfully had her port removed and had what she
thought would be her final lumbar puncture. A few days later they received more bad news.
In February 2021 Lillian was diagnosed with Isolated CNS Relapse of ALL; basically, it means that the
leukemia cells are isolated to her spinal fluid which surrounds her spinal cord and brain. Her Leukemia had
returned and everyone was in shock; she was already in relapse.
Due to this being a very rare form of relapse leukemia the only place for treatment in the nation is at the
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP); the treatment is called CAR T Cell Therapy. In February 2021
Lillian started her journey in Philadelphia for 4 days where they harvested her T-Cells and they get them ready
to be medically engineered so when the T-Cell are infused back into Lillian they will kill her cancer cells.
In March 2021 they got the call that it was time for Lillian to go back to CHOP to have her modified T-Cells
infused back in to her and this trip to Philadelphia would last 6 weeks. Lillian and her mother Alyssa will return
back to Minnesota from Philadelphia on May 11, 2021. With this T-Cell Therapy the hope is that her cancer
cells will be gone forever. The trips to Philadelphia will not end after May 11, they will have to make frequent
trips to Philadelphia for the next 5-10 years.
Please consider donating to this amazing family to help ease the financial burden they will endure for many
years.
Donate Here: GoFundMe: Lillian Strong
Or make Checks payable to Lillian Johannes
Lillian Johannes, 5332 70th Street NE, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
Lillian’s Journey #warriorprincess
Bill Carlson, Founder of Tower Systems, with Niece Lillian Johannes
The Telecommunication Industry is a tight knit group of generous people. I’m asking for any size donation to help my eight year old cousin, Lillian Johannes as she battles Leukemia for the 2nd time in her short life. Lillian and I were both diagnosed with cancer months apart from each other, and over the course of the last 2.5 years, we were fighting it together, like the strong warrior princesses we are. As my cancer went into remission, Lillian fell into Isolated CNS Relapse ALL. She currently seeks treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). For those who know my family, Lillian is the granddaughter of Jon & Jeannie Frolander, genuine and kind, real salt of the earth people. Please consider making a donation at GoFundMe – Lillian Strong. Please see attached for more details. Thank you. ~Kari L. Carlson, Tower Systems
Meet Lillian. She is 8 years old. In the Fall of 2018 Lillian developed symptoms of fatigue, fevers and swollen
lymph nodes. After many doctors’ appointments the lab work came back abnormal. The results were
reviewed by an Oncologist at Children’s Hospital in Minnesota and soon after Lillian went in for more testing.
In January 2019 we learned that Lillian has B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B Cell ALL).
Her treatment started immediately which included steroids, many lumbar punctures and chemotherapy. After 2
years of treatment, she finally reached the point where she could have her port removed, it seemed like it was
the light at the end of the tunnel. In February 2021 she successfully had her port removed and had what she
thought would be her final lumbar puncture. A few days later they received more bad news.
In February 2021 Lillian was diagnosed with Isolated CNS Relapse of ALL; basically, it means that the
leukemia cells are isolated to her spinal fluid which surrounds her spinal cord and brain. Her Leukemia had
returned and everyone was in shock; she was already in relapse.
Due to this being a very rare form of relapse leukemia the only place for treatment in the nation is at the
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP); the treatment is called CAR T Cell Therapy. In February 2021
Lillian started her journey in Philadelphia for 4 days where they harvested her T-Cells and they get them ready
to be medically engineered so when the T-Cell are infused back into Lillian they will kill her cancer cells.
In March 2021 they got the call that it was time for Lillian to go back to CHOP to have her modified T-Cells
infused back in to her and this trip to Philadelphia would last 6 weeks. Lillian and her mother Alyssa will return
back to Minnesota from Philadelphia on May 11, 2021. With this T-Cell Therapy the hope is that her cancer
cells will be gone forever. The trips to Philadelphia will not end after May 11, they will have to make frequent
trips to Philadelphia for the next 5-10 years.
Please consider donating to this amazing family to help ease the financial burden they will endure for many
years.
Donate Here: GoFundMe: Lillian Strong
Or make Checks payable to Lillian Johannes
Lillian Johannes, 5332 70th Street NE, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379