University of Texas at Dallas Athletics

Just before her second birthday, Kaitlyn Johnson was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She entered a world of doctors visits, toxic medications and heartbreaking side effects. For two and a half years, Kaitlyn courageously fought her disease and was able to claim a win. Unfortunately, just after her fourth birthday, Kaitlyn would be forced to fight her disease once again. To the disappointment of her doctors, Kaitlyn did not respond to treatment. As a last resort she was enrolled in an experimental treatment program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. By participating in this ground breaking study Kaitlyn was once again able to claim victory over her disease in 2015. 

Throughout her journey Kaitlyn has met hundreds of remarkable people and organizations who have become an important part of her support system. One such group is Friends of Jaclyn, this organization arranged for Kaitlyn to be paired with a local sports team. The goal was improve the quality of life for Kaitlyn and to raise awareness about childhood cancer. In 2015, Kaitlyn (who was five years old at the time) selected UT Dallas Volleyball because she thought it looked like a sport that would be fun. For six seasons now, Kaitlyn has built an everlasting bond with the team.