School honors brave Chicago girl battling cancer

CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - A young Chicago girl is fighting a very rare form of cancer, but she's doing it with the support of her entire community.

Ask anyone at Beasley Academic Center in the Washington Park neighborhood about Madison Booker and they'll all tell you the same thing.

“She is so brave, so strong and she's such a fighter."

The sixth grader is fighting stage four Neuroblastoma, which is a very rare form of cancer. She was given a 45 percent chance of survival.

She’s been battling the cancer for nine years, and her mother says it's partially thanks to an experimental drug.

“Her cancer has relapsed, it's dormant, it's in both lungs, but again, that study drug and the grace of God and she's still here,” mom Desriee Thomas said.

Madison has had her ups and downs.

“There are days where I can't get up. It even hurts to walk or I don't really feel up to it,” Madison said.

When she's feeling down, her mom and sister aren't the only ones picking her up.

“The students and the people in this place, they just make you feel the courage to just get up and fight it and come to school,” Madison said.

That’s why they wanted to honor her with a walk for cancer, because she inspires so many to keep pushing forward.

"There are people that are with you and are fighting for you and they're also fighting with you and you're not alone,” Madison said.

Madison was surprised in the gym by her entire sixth grade class, some of whom even wrote a song to give her encouragement.

"Madison, Madison, it'll be alright. Madison, Madison, it'll be alright,” the class sang.

If that wasn't surprising enough, Madison stepped outside and was met by the entire school chanting her name.

They want to inspire her to continue the fight.

The family told FOX 32 they are also grateful to the doctors at the University of Chicago who have helped Madison fight this cancer. Madison says she's grateful to have so many people standing with her.