30 Years Later, She'll Always Be 'Little Miss Moffitt'

Thirty-year-old Morgan is a catering coordinator in Atlanta, but to the team at Moffitt Cancer Center, she’ll always be “Little Miss Moffitt.” Born in October 1986, the same month Moffitt opened its doors, Morgan became a patient when doctors diagnosed her with neuroblastoma when she was just 4 months old.

Her mother originally took her to the doctor because she was sweating profusely and her eyes were dilated. Despite doctors telling her nothing was wrong for two months, Morgan’s mother instinctively knew her daughter needed help and kept insisting on further testing. She’s glad she did. By the time doctors diagnosed Morgan with a form of cancer, there was a tumor on her adrenal gland that was so large it was getting ready to explode.

Since the cancer spread to a lymph node, Morgan had to undergo two different types of chemotherapy while hospitalized at Moffitt for eight months. She was so tiny, the surgical nurses knitted her a cap and booties and gave her the nickname “Little Miss Moffitt.”

Today, Morgan is doing well despite some side effects from the treatment she received as a baby. She recently moved to Atlanta, but visits Tampa and Moffitt Cancer Center regularly to see her aunt and cousin who both work at the hospital.