Fox 4: Fort Osage teen who beat rare cancer three times passes away from COVID-19

By Brian Dulle & Dave D'Marko

A Fort Osage High School junior who beat cancer three times has passed away from COVID-19 complications.

Aspen Deke’s family said the 17-year-old passed away Saturday evening in the arms of her mom and dad. They thanked everyone for prayers, love and support.

At the age of 4, Aspen was diagnosed with the Philadelphia chromosome positive form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. At the time she was given a dire prognosis.

Aspen went through four years of chemo and a bone marrow transplant, but her parents said COVID-19 was much worse than cancer.

She was admitted to Children’s Mercy Hospital almost two weeks before her favorite holiday, Christmas, and has been in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit since New Year’s Eve. Most of that time was spent intubated on a ventilator.

Both her friends and parents said Aspen loved to bake cakes and cupcakes for birthdays and holidays, and planned months in advance buying gifts for her parents, brothers and friends at Fort Osage High and others she met during cancer treatments at Children’s Mercy.

See the full story via Fox 4