GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Rosie Schutter went home cancer free on Tuesday.
The 5-year-old Grand Rapids girl had her last round of chemo at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in her fight against a 5 pound Wilms tumor, which is a rare kidney cancer that affects young children.
The local community rallied around Rosie Tuesday evening and held a parade that drove past her house. The organizers said more than 80 families planned to meet at Frontline Community Church on Plainfield Avenue to participate in the parade.
Rosie still has a few more outpatient treatments, her dad Steve Schutter, said even her coming home is overwhelming for their family. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital has visitor restrictions in place.
"It’s been four or five days here where we’ve only been able to video chat. So even just getting my wife and Rosie back home today was super emotional, but just to see our friends and family come by and see her light up, so excited," he said.
During COVID-19, in-person celebrations are not allowed. But communities all across the country are finding other ways to honor and celebrate people.
Dozens of cars went past Rosie's house honking and celebrating the young girl's victory against cancer.
Steve Schutter said the parade helped Rosie find a social part of her personality that went away after starting treatment.
"She’s kind of become her old social self again. So something like this is just right up her alley. Just being able to see everybody and say hi and so I just absolutely love to see how happy it made her," he said.
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