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Henderson community rallies together to show support for teen recently diagnosed with leukemia

Addison Graham returned to Henderson Monday night after a weekend of treatment at a Dallas hospital. The community gathered on Main Street to welcome her home.

HENDERSON, Texas — If you were in Henderson Monday night, you may have noticed more than 100 people gathered downtown on Main Street wearing orange and holding up signs.

They were out there helping welcome home a 14-year-old girl who was diagnosed with leukemia last Thursday.

Addison Graham returned to Henderson Monday night after a weekend of treatment at a Dallas hospital. The teen and her family have touched the lives of so many in Henderson.

After learning about the diagnosis, everyone has been stepping up to raise money to help pay for treatments.

"Everybody seems to all at the same time started different fundraisers, we have kind of double-checked to make sure we are not all doing the same thing," family friend Haley Smith said. "You know the go fund me is just a testament to how much everyone loves her."

A GoFundMe posted just three days ago with an initial goal of $5,000 is now at nearly $20,000 with hundreds of donors.

Family friend Kacy Kersh said the support shows how much the family does for the community.

"Mallory (Addison's mom) has been there for us all the time, she doesn't hesitate to jump in and help us and we just thought this was something small that we could do and help them be positive," Kersh said. 

The welcome home parade was an effort by the community to raise the family's spirits. Everyone wore orange to raise awareness for the type of cancer Addison was diagnosed with; Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

According to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital --  about 98% of children with  Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia go into remission within weeks after starting treatment and about 90% of those can be cured.  

Addison Graham is well-known in Henderson, she's one of three Addisons in the same grade, all best friends since kindergarten.

In fact, the Addison's were out there showing support last night and they left a message for their best friend.

"We love you a lot, we miss you, we are ready for you to get better, ready to see you, we know you can do this, yeah, you got it," Addison Davis and Addison Standley said.

There are several community fundraisers to help the family. A Go Fund Me was set up and continues to take donations.

Addison Graham loves Whataburger, so the restaurant in Henderson is hosting a hamburger fundraiser on January 29 where a portion of the sales will go to help the family with treatment costs. 

Other's are selling T-Shirts to raise funds with the slogan "What A Fighter," with the orange resembling both the ribbon for Leukemia and Graham's favorite restaurant. 

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