Cancer Survivor Gets Ready For Her Wedding Day

A Tulsa girl diagnosed with a rare brain tumor more than a decade ago not only beat her cancer, but now she is celebrating a much happier milestone. She's getting married! <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter

Wednesday, May 17th 2006, 10:26 am

By: News On 6

A Tulsa girl diagnosed with a rare brain tumor more than a decade ago not only beat her cancer, but now she is celebrating a much happier milestone. She's getting married!

News on 6 reporter Heather Lewin talks to the bride to be and the brideâ€™s mom about the day they thought might never come.

"I was five and I remember meeting lots of other cancer patients, making friends and singing camp songs." We first met Hillary Amstutz, 16 years ago at a summer camp for kids with cancer. It was a welcome break for the girl suffering from a rare inner ear brain tumor, whose childhood wasn't always fun and games. "You know, I'd wear a dress and people were like 'Oh is that a boy?' cause I was bald."

She went through years of radiation and chemotherapy, breaking her mother's heart. Lou Ann Amstutz: "There were times when she would be so sick, when we would say our prayers at night, she would say, I want to die." But Lou Ann says with love and a strong faith the family made it through.

â€œI remember we would be at games and I'd get sick and have to go throw up on the sidelines and come back in and play." Hillary fought and won. Now she's cancer free and decorating for her wedding. "I'm excited, I'm ready for it."

Lou Ann Amstutz: "I'm not sure we're ready to let her go." About 400 people are expected on the big day, to see the person many have only known as the tough little girl trying to beat the odds, now become a happy bride.

Both have asked the question, why? But Hillary says if she'd never faced this battle she wouldn't be who she is today. â€œI don't think I would look at life as well as I do now. I do think that God allowed me to have the type of cancer that I did so I could be a good role model for other people that have had cancer as well and be able to show them that I have made it."

Hillary is now a cancer camp counselor. She's getting married this Saturday.