After beating cancer, 3-year-old Jentai struggled both with her mobility and with making friends at preschool. Her parents, Jo and Jake, decided to put her into karate. Now, more than 15 years later, Jentai has regained her mobility as a soon-to-be fifth degree black belt.
Jentai’s battle with cancer
In 2009, when Jentai was 2 years old, Jo noticed her daughter had become lethargic and didn’t want to play. Jo was pregnant at the time and extra concerned about Jentai’s health in case she had a contagious illness.
A visit to their primary care provider suggested they try a different diet, but just a few days later, Jentai woke up in the middle of the night screaming. She was unable to put her legs down due to severe bloating. They visited a local emergency room, and the issue seemed to be resolved. A few days later, still eager to understand her symptoms, Jo took Jentai to another doctor who referred her to Children’s Minnesota, where they were able to get an appointment for the following day.
“He said, ‘I want to do everything I can to figure this out because you don’t need the added stress of a sick child.’ I don’t think I’ll ever forget that,” Jo said.
At Children’s Minnesota, Jentai had multiple tests, which confirmed that Jentai had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). She soon began treatment, including chemotherapy that required multiple hospitals visits over several months. She completed treatment when she was 4 years old.
“Jentai’s situation was and is unique because she is unique,” said Kris Ann Schultz, MD, pediatric oncologist at Children’s Minnesota. “She and her family demonstrated such amazing courage throughout her treatment journey. When life, ALL and cancer treatment threw curveballs, they rose to the challenge.”
Today, Jentai remains in the Children’s Minnesota cancer survivor program, which works to ensure that patients and families have information related to their treatment when transitioning to college or adult primary health care providers.
“Thanks to this team, we can continue to follow these amazing individuals throughout adolescence and young adulthood, generally until 30 years of age,” Dr. Schultz said. “It’s so inspiring to see Jentai as a thriving young adult. Amazing kids like Jentai inspire all of our ongoing care.”
The karate kid takes shape
Jentai experienced peripheral neuropathy, or chemotherapy-induced nerve damage causing concern she would struggle with her mobility and coordination for the rest of her life. At three years old, she had ankle braces put on to help her mobility.
Jentai’s parents, Jo and Jake, started her in karate as a two-week trial quickly learned that she loved the sport and that it was improving her mobility. Thanks to karate and physical therapy, her ankle braces were removed only a few weeks later.
“We went back to physical therapy a month after we started karate and they were like, ‘What are you guys doing differently?’” Jo said. “Her tests were significantly better, her gait was better, the way she stepped was better. The only thing I could think of was karate.”
Jentai is now only weeks away from becoming a fifth-degree black belt, signifying her mastery of karate and ability to teach skills to others. Jentai has transitioned into a teaching role at her karate school and is enjoying giving back to the sport that helped her recover and become the person she is today.
“I find it extremely important to educate people and make sure they can defend themselves if need be. Martial arts have been so important to me, not only as a sport, but as a community and having that group of people to be there for you,” Jentai said.
The best place you never want to go
Jentai found friends in karate, but staff at Children’s Minnesota also made sure she had friends wherever she went in the hospital, helping her to feel a sense of normalcy while going through one of the hardest times in her life at only 2 years old.
“[Children’s Minnesota staff] never really felt like medical staff. [They were] just someone who was trying to help us,” Jo recalled. “They knew exactly who we were. They would say, ‘Oh, it’s a Jentai day!’ It felt so comfortable.”
Jentai and Jo thank their entire care team for the support their family received. They even keep in touch with nurse Tom, who made an especially big impact on them.
“All the staff was going above and beyond. It was just like we were friends. It never felt like we were there for something bad,” Jo said. “It’s the best place you never want to go.”
