6-Year-Old Belle Mead Cancer Patient Is Celebrity For A Day

BELLE MEAD, NJ — Six-year-old cancer patient and Belle Mead resident, Vania Kumar, will be made a celebrity for the day, signing autographs at Stop & Shop in Franklin Park on Sunday.

Kumar is an ambassador for Stop & Shop's 'Help Cure Childhood Cancer' campaign, which raises money for MSK Kids, Memorial Sloan Kettering’s pediatric program.

As part of Stop & Shop's fundraising campaign, customers who donate to MSK Kids from noon to 2 p.m. on Sept. 29 at the store at 3333 Route 27 in Franklin Park will be able to receive an autographed picture from Kumar.

"I'm really excited to be a celebrity and sign autographs. I'm thrilled to be an ambassador for such a noble cause," Kumar said.

Kumar was diagnosed with a very high risk Acute lymphoblastic leukemia with Philadelphia chromosome on Dec. 2, 2016.

"Her journey has been great so far. Thanks to God and her doctors and nurses at Memorial Sloan Kettering who took great care every day of her treatment and as a result of which she started responding well from the initial stage of the treatment. She was in complete remission after a month," Kumar's parents Pryianka and Avinash said.

Her treatment has been described as a "roller coaster ride with ups and downs." Despite that Kumar always prevailed.

"I will also remember her words she told me and her dad when she was going for her bone marrow procedure for the first time at Sloan and I quote, 'Don't worry mom and dad I'll win the race'." Kumar's mom Pryianka said. "These words brought tears in our eyes but at the same time lifted our spirits and gave all of us in the family strength to be together in our fight for this deadly disease. It's been two and half years now. She has fought every day of her treatment like a true hero. As she always says 'never give up'."

Kumar started school in September and is happy to be with her friends.

"Her spirits are high. She seems to have forgotten everything she’s gone through for the last two and a half years. Though she gets a little upset when she has to visit the hospital once every month for her bloodwork and vaccinations," Pryianka said.

At home Kumar loves to play with Legos and design dresses. She dreams of becoming a model, a fashion designer and open her own boutique one day.

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