childhood cancer awareness month hereos
Kinsley Schreiner: A Beautiful Monster with Wings
From the moment Kinsley Schreiner arrived, she brought light, fire, and a personality far too big for this world. Diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just 2 years old, Kinsley faced an uphill battle with the kind of courage that even adults struggle to find. She fought with everything she had for 9 months and 13 days—and left this world just one day after her 3rd birthday.
Before cancer took hold of her tiny body, Kinsley was a daredevil in pigtails. She loved to swing and play outside, always on the move, always going “fast fast.” She was fearless, leaping off toy boxes and climbing to new heights any chance she got. Her presence was magnetic—a smile that could stop traffic, and a sparkle that made strangers pause to tell her parents how beautiful she was.
Kinsley’s world was filled with joy and the people she adored most: her big brother Cole, her Daddy Brock, her Papa Donnie, and her cousin Brooke. The rest of the world was just lucky to orbit her orbit.
Her favorite things were the Trolls movie, Secret Life of Pets, and her trolls-decorated bedroom. But even more than her toys and movies, she loved being wild and free. She was never still—and she was never afraid.
It took multiple trips to doctors and emergency rooms before they found the tumor near her left kidney. She had fevers, a hurting tummy, and eventually a large bump on her back. The diagnosis shattered her family’s world.
“It was the worst day of my life. Our family will never be the same.”
But Kinsley, in true warrior fashion, never gave up. Even when her body began to fail, her spirit didn’t. Her courage convinced everyone around her that she would beat it—doctors, nurses, surgical teams, even hospital staff from cleaning crews to dietary workers. Her strength was undeniable.
Kinsley changed the world in her three short years. She inspired strength, love, and unity in everyone she met—and in many who only knew her through her story. She may have been small, but she was mighty, spunky, and extraordinary.
Her mom said it best:
“Kinsley, my beautiful monster… you were made to fly.”
Now, she does just that. The world may not have been big enough to contain her, but the sky is. And from up there, she’s still moving fast fast—watching over those she loved, leaving footprints on the clouds, and reminding us what it means to be brave.
