'I was so scared': Cancer survivor mom relieved to find out daughter is also in remission

A 26-year-old woman in Washington, D.C., is rejoicing with her mom that her cancer is in remission after both were battling the disease at the same time.

Danielle Draper was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2022 after she tried to become a stem cell donor for her mom, Kristin Draper. Kristin had been diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer, the year before. As part of the donor process, Danielle had to get a chest X-ray done.

"The nurse said, 'We've never had anyone have a problem; it's just a formality,'" said Danielle. "So we took the chest X-ray, and then the doctor came in with this very serious look on her face."

The scan identified a large mass near her heart, which was later found to be a tumor.

Not only did that rule her out as a potential donor for her mother, but she also had to share the devastating news about her own health.

"The look on her face, it was just harrowing," said Danielle, referring to the moment she told her mom. "I never want to see that look on her face again."

Danielle began chemotherapy almost immediately. A week later, Kristin was in the hospital to receive the stem cell transplant she needed from her sister. Both mother and daughter were fighting for their lives at the same time.

"I wanted to boost her up, but it was really hard," said Kristin, 59. "I just kept saying, 'You're going to get better. You're going to get better.'"

But it got worse.

As Kristin slowly recovered after the surgery and went into remission, Danielle was told she would need a bone marrow transplant to survive after the chemotherapy stopped working.

"It was just my world flipping upside down," said Danielle.

Danielle's younger brother stepped up to become her donor. But it would be months before she knew whether her body was on the mend.

Watch the moment Danielle shares with her mom that she's in remission after both battled cancer together. Her mom reveals in the video above: "I was so scared!"

"You're always waiting for news, and you're waiting for news, waiting for news, waiting for the results," said Kristin. "It was just the biggest relief lifted off and feeling of gratefulness."

Kristin says she reluctantly learned to lean on her daughter during her darkest days, and Danielle says she did the same.

"I guess we were meant to fight this fight together and help each other get through it," said Danielle.

Watch the full story below.

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