Watertown Girl’s Childhood Cancer Battle Inspires Community Support During Awareness Month
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - For most families, September means back-to-school routines and the crisp arrival of fall. But for Watertown resident Ashley Holida and her family, September carries a much heavier weight: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In an emotional interview on Northeast Radio SD, Holida shared the harrowing and inspiring story of her daughter Sophie’s ongoing battle with a rare form of cancer.
A World Turned Upside Down
In June of 2025, when Sophie was just nine years old, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma. The diagnosis immediately shifted the family’s reality. Sophie was forced to leave school, her friends, and her everyday childhood activities behind to face a rigorous treatment schedule that included 40 rounds of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
The journey has been fraught with severe complications. During her treatment, Sophie developed a life-threatening immune disorder and a condition known as PRESS, which caused severe brain swelling. The complication placed her in the ICU on a ventilator for 35 days, a terrifying period that left her parents wondering if she would survive. When she finally awoke, Sophie faced the monumental task of re-learning how to walk, talk, and function independently.
Finding Joy in the Darkness
Despite the unimaginable physical and emotional toll, Sophie’s spirit remains unbroken. A massive fan of pop star Taylor Swift, Sophie has used music as a coping mechanism. To help alleviate her anxiety during radiation, medical staff made it a tradition to blare Swift’s music, turning her terrifying treatments into private concerts.
Holida noted that while the medical journey is grueling, her daughter’s resilience has been a constant source of inspiration. Even when faced with the harsh outward effects of cancer—like losing her hair and the physical limitations caused by nerve damage—Sophie has adapted with remarkable bravery, even learning to embrace her changing appearance.
The Power of Community Support
The financial and emotional impacts of a childhood cancer diagnosis are staggering, with families facing mounting medical bills and lost income. However, the Watertown community has stepped up in a big way. From a GoFundMe campaign to local businesses selling bracelets and stickers, the outpouring of support has helped carry the family through their darkest days.
Today, Sophie is slowly regaining her strength and has even begun returning to school part-time. While her fight is far from over, Ashley Holida’s message to the public is clear: childhood cancer requires more awareness, more research funding, and the relentless support of a loving community.
What can we do as a community to better support families facing the devastating reality of childhood illness?
Live Interview: Ashley Holida on Childhood Cancer Awareness. This video features the live radio broadcast where Ashley Holida discusses her daughter’s courageous fight to help raise awareness for childhood cancer.
