“She is an incredible fighter — the toughest little girl in the world.”
At just 2 years old, Harper Wengrod is facing something no child ever should.
The Merrick toddler has spent most of her life battling a rare pediatric cancer.
Her father, Joe Wengrod, said he first noticed a mass in her abdomen while changing her diaper when she was just 10 months old.
“The pediatrician and urgent care both said it was nothing to worry about, that it was constipation,” Wengrod told Greater Long Island, recalling the moment his daughter’s battle began. “When it didn’t go away, we pushed for an ultrasound, and the next day we were in emergency surgery to remove a softball-sized malignant mass in her abdomen.”
The pathology report that followed was even more shocking.
“It showed that this type of cancer is not only rare in anyone, but she is the youngest person known to have it,” said Wengrod.
Harper underwent seven rounds of chemotherapy and two major surgeries to remove malignant lymph nodes. She was in recovery when a follow-up scan revealed the cancer had returned — this time in her liver at Stage 3.
Wengrod said that while Harper doesn’t fully understand what’s happening, she knows she needs medicine because she’s sick.
“For me, it’s almost like being in a full-time fog,” Wengrod said. “I need to keep a brave face for my other two little daughters. Day to day is incredibly difficult, but what other choice do we have other than to stay optimistic?”
The family initially kept Harper’s journey private. But when the cancer returned, her mother began sharing updates on social media in search of answers and support.
That’s how they connected with Jordan Belous, founder of Whip Pediatric Cancer. Belous launched the organization a decade ago at age 16, after her own mother was diagnosed with a rare pediatric cancer typically seen only in kids.
“Helping kids has been my mission for a big part of my life,” Belous told GLI.
Hockey for Harper
That mission led to the creation of “Hockey for Harper,” organized with help from the Long Island Hockey League to ease the financial burden on the Wengrod family.
Nearly 100 players took part in the two-day event at Flexible Arena on Motor Parkway in Hauppauge, filling the rink with both hockey and hope.
“Just seeing them and continuing to keep things as normal as they can be, they are just an amazing family,” Belous said. “We just love them and we are so lucky to know them.”
“Money is a big part of the equation—it’s another stressor,” said Wengrod. “To have help like this from everyone involved, it’s great to be able to alleviate this part of the stress.”
Belous said the fundraiser raised more than $40,000.
But despite the outpouring of support, the family continues to face the uncertainty that comes with Harper’s rare diagnosis.
“We’ve heard the word ‘rare’ every day of her journey,” Wengrod said. “But we’ve learned that just because it’s rare doesn’t mean it’s worse. It just means we don’t have the answers yet — and that’s how we are trying to approach this.”
He added, “She was the strongest 10-month-old on earth, now she’s the strongest 2-year-old on earth.”
Donate
To support the Wengrod family, visit: https://whippediatriccancer.org/hockey-for-harper-signup/
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