NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Hannah Koepsell is a warrior. Her fight is inspiring, and it's one that we can all learn from.
Last summer, Hannah was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She's visited Oishei Children's Hospital and Roswell multiple times for checkups and examinations. Even with everything she's gone through, she's still here to tell her story.
Recently, she celebrated her 12th birthday, and her mom took to Facebook to ask for birthday cards to help make Hannah feel better. The response was overwhelming.
"Thank you so much for the outpouring of support and love that we received," Hannah's mom, Patti, said.
Over 150 cards mailed in from multiple states across the country. From Delaware, Texas, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Florida, people shared their well wishes and even personal stories to help lift Hannah up. Her dad, Jason, said this experience will help her help others as she continues to grow. Spreading love like this could change someone's life.
"The one thing I tell her all the time is that going through this changes you for the better. It helps you help other people along the way. They might be going through something, and seeing what you did and went through might make them feel better," he said.
In terms of what's next for the future, Hannah said her dream is to be a makeup artist. That dream is still on her mind, and she said the obstacles she's facing now won't stop her from pursuing it. That's her advice to others watching.
"If you keep looking forward to it and trying, trying, trying, you can get to it," Hannah said.
