Daughter Diagnosed With Cancer, Then Mom Realizes All the Signs She Missed

Seven-year-old Miriam Koska was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, prompting her mother Emily to reflect on the warning signs she initially overlooked. Emily and her family reside in North Dakota and have three children: Miriam, Abram, 11, and five-month-old Ruthie. Miriam is described as a "girly girl" who enjoys singing, dancing, and playing with Barbies.

In October 2025, Miriam received a stage 4 nodular ganglioneuroblastoma diagnosis, a childhood cancer typically affecting children aged two to four. This cancer impacts nerve tissue, often resulting in rapidly growing and spreading malignant tumors. The disease's primary symptom is a lump in the abdomen, though it can also manifest in other areas like the neck, legs, or chest cavity.

However, in Miriam's case, her mother felt she had sensed potential warning signs earlier. On the day before her diagnosis, Emily shared a video of Miriam walking with an apparent limp, which seemed stiff. Emily wrote on Instagram, "This was the day before our world completely changed. We had no idea she had cancer that spread to her bone marrow."

Looking back, Emily believes the signs were unmistakable, adding, "I have to live with that forever." When Miriam first experienced occasional leg pain at six years old, her parents attributed it to growing pains due to her active lifestyle. However, as the pain persisted and became more severe, causing a limp, frequent fevers, drenching night sweats, abdominal pain, and increasing fatigue, the family became increasingly concerned.

Despite visiting multiple clinics, seeing two pediatricians, and consulting a neurologist, the symptoms were initially dismissed as a virus or constipation. It wasn't until a pediatrician who listened more attentively, questioned the entire picture of Miriam's symptoms, and promptly sent the family to the emergency department that the diagnosis was confirmed.

Neuroblastoma can lead to tumors that press on various body structures, causing a wide range of symptoms such as feeling full, swelling, difficulty using the toilet, balance and coordination issues, coughing, difficulty breathing, and difficulty swallowing. If the tumors spread, additional symptoms may include swollen lymph nodes, bone pain, dark circles around the eyes, bulging eyes, tiredness, irritability, weakness in the arms or legs, fever, easy bruising or bleeding, pale skin, and frequent illness.

Emily emphasized that while childhood cancer is rare, it is not impossible. Persistent, worsening, or inexplicable symptoms should not be dismissed. Miriam is currently doing well after treatment and is expected to continue through 2027. Emily expressed pride in her daughter's bravery and resilience, emphasizing the importance of advocating for one's child and never giving up.