By AMY ADAMS
news@readthereporter.com
It isn’t just Londyn Hoffman’s effervescent joy that is a rarity. Londyn has battled several rare conditions in her eight years of life. Now she’s being given a rare honor.
At a ceremony Friday, April 26, at Monon Trail Elementary School (MTES) in Westfield, Riley Children’s Health officially recognized Londyn as a 2024 Riley Champion.
The only pediatric research hospital in Indiana, Riley Children’s Health was named for famed Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley and celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2024. Not only is it the largest pediatric healthcare system in Indiana with more than 50 locations, but it has been ranked as one of the top hospitals in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report.
Fifteen years ago, Riley began recognizing patients and families who showed courage in navigating medical obstacles while maintaining a commitment to helping others do the same. Along with raising awareness about the need for pediatric cancer research, in 2024 Riley’s Champions Presented by Kroger is highlighting 10 Riley kids out of nearly 100 nominations.
“They’re our go-to families when we’re telling what Riley does,” said Olivia Mozzi, communications coordinator for Riley Children’s Foundation. “They put a name and a face on the importance of children’s health in having Riley in our backyard.”
Jenna Hoffman, Londyn’s mom, said that with Londyn being named a Riley Champion, they are serving as ambassadors, attending events throughout the state, sharing Londyn’s story, and generating an appreciation for how Riley helps other families like theirs.
“What it means to our family for Londyn to be a Riley Champion is that this is a way for our family to give back for all the ways that Riley has helped her and inevitably saved her life,” Jenna said.
When Londyn was a baby, specialists at Riley diagnosed her with a genetic condition so rare that it had yet to be named. When she was five, doctors discovered a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma behind her right eye. Then after beginning chemotherapy and radiation treatment, Londyn developed a neurological condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome.
“Guillain-Barre took away a lot of her ability to walk and talk,” Jenna said. “She had to relearn how to feed herself. She has also experienced some brain damage from radiation.”
Though Londyn beat her cancer in 2021, it unfortunately came back rather quickly, eventually leading surgeons to remove her eye.
Nevertheless, Londyn just keeps smiling.
“She’s had very few moments in her health journey where she’s not happy,” Jenna said. “She makes friends with everyone. Her personality is infectious.”
But that doesn’t mean the path has been easy.
One of the support systems that has helped the Hoffman family has been Dance Marathon (DM). Founded 34 years ago at Indiana University, DM is a 36-hour event that raises money for Riley every fall throughout the state.
“Westfield High School Dance Marathon has been an instrumental part of our community and part of our Riley family because we’re all working toward the same cause, and a lot of the work that they do has supported Londyn and her recovery,” Jenna said. “They’ve been there for her every step of the way through her diagnosis.”
WHS Innovation Specialist Sarah Gibbs was involved in DM at IU as a student and has been the staff sponsor at WHS since the school hosted its first event in 2017.
“It’s a huge piece of my heart,” Gibbs said.
DM has now spread to other schools in the district.
“They’ve done a great job of getting DM embedded in every single school,” Jenna said.
Both of Londyn’s older siblings are heavily involved in the program, Lincoln at WHS and Luci at Westfield Intermediate School.
Another big blessing for Londyn has been the Life Skills program currently housed at MTES.
“The Life Skills program has been a great fit for her,” Jenna said. “Life Skills ensures that she’s in the right classroom and learning the right skills.”
Londyn spends time with WHS Dance Marathon sponsor Sarah Gibbs, left, and WHS senior Nora Flickinger, right. (Reporter photo by Amy Adams)
Life Skills teacher Margo Hoagland said that Londyn brings joy to her classrooms every day. Londyn spends part of her day with a Life Skills class and part of the day with first grade students in a traditional classroom and attending related arts classes, like PE and STEM.
“It allows her to learn from them but also for them to learn from her,” Hoaglan said. “And she is a great ambassador for them to learn from.”
Ava Schumann works as a one-on-one instructional assistant with Londyn and spends the entire school day with her. A WHS graduate, Schumann is taking a gap year before heading to Ball State University in the fall.
“Londyn is the reason I want to go into special education in the future,” Schumann said. “She is my why.”
Jenna said the support of the Westfield community has gotten their family through some dark times and is happy to report that Londyn has been cancer free for more than a year.
“Our community really shows up for each other,” she said. “It’s our village – a big village.”