171 GRADUATE In 2008, then fifth-grader Sophia Tilley was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in her left leg. Tilley later relapsed in her lung and with myeloid leukemia. “Honestly, it was pure shock,” Tilley said. “At that age, I had only heard of adults getting cancer. I had never really heard of a kid being diagnosed with it. It was shock and fear and sadness because we didn’t know what the diagnosis meant, like what kind of lifestyle I would have after, and it just shocked me.” Although she was given one year to live if she did not receive a bone marrow transplant, Tilley never lost her spirit. “Over the 17 years I have worked at Arkansas Children’s Hospital I have seen many children settle because of the speed bumps placed in their life,” Melissa Wittman, Tilley’s physical therapist throughout her first diagnosis, said. “That is one thing I can say Sophia has never and will never do.” Tilley received the bone marrow transplant Dec. 15, 2011. This life-saving procedure allowed for Tilley to enter remission for 10 years. Tilley touched on the process of donating and receiving bone marrow. She stated that there were two different processes when donating marrow, but when receiving the bone marrow it was essentially a blood transfusion. As a graduate student, Tilley used her extensive knowledge and experience with bone marrow transplants for the bone marrow drive through the College of Pharmacy. Students across campus were encouraged to sign up for the registry and donated saliva samples to aid in the process of finding matches. The Marrow Way Graduate student Sophia Tilley is a cancer survivor and soon-to-be pharmacist. NEW BEGINNINGS Graduate student Sophia Tilley supports the bone marrow drive in collaboration with the College of Pharmacy. Tilley received a donation in 2011 that saved her life. Photo by: Grace Hurt “I have definitely seen Sophie use her past experiences to excel,” Dr. Charlie Wright, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, said. “I believe that Sophie channels her past adversity into her studies. She has a motivation and drive that few students have. As someone that has experienced a similar health journey, I believe that she is using her story to help propel the future of pharmacy. Her ability to share and connect with people on a very basic level is obvious. She is going to be an excellent pharmacist and touch the lives of cancer patients through her work and story.” Written by: Bailey Ridenour
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