Erin's special birthday

PLATTE CENTER - Erin Bettenhausen was ready for a nap.

But there was a party in her honor being held.

The soon-to-be 3 year old, dressed in pink and wearing a blue bucket hat, was all partied out, though.

Not even the site of her brand new 12 feet wide and 12 feet high log cabin playhouse complete with a porch, shingled roof and a sign that read "Erin's Cabin" could entice the girl to liven up Saturday afternoon.

There have been many days and nights that Erin has struggled to act and behave with the vigor of a toddler. Since being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor when she was 18 months old, the girl has been in and out of hospitals battling the disease.

Her parents, Chris and Holli Bettenhausen, have faced the ordeal head on.

"When you are pushed into a corner, you have to fight." Chris said.

But the fighting is over. Now it is just a waiting game.

Chris and his wife Holli made the decision to forgo any more treatments for their daughter.

Erin, who will be 3 Nov. 1, has been through surgery, radiation and chemotherapy to treat the rhabdoid cancer. But her parents decided that her daughter had been through enough during her young life.

After going through a series of treatments that began in May 2003, Erin's cancer was in remission. But an MRI taken in April showed a spot of cancer had returned. They tried to treat it with radiation, but four months later another MRI test revealed the spot grew and a new spot also formed.

Doctors said they could continue with treatment. But Chris and Holli thought otherwise.

"We decided that she'd been through enough," Holli said.

Since Erin first was diagnosed with the cancer, Chris and Holli have tried to talk to their other children, Grant, 5, Luke, 4, and Laura, 1 1/2, about Erin. But, aside from Grant, the children don't really understand.

Chris and Holli have come to terms that their daughter will die and want to make the estimated two to four months Erin has left to live as special as they can. One of those ways was Saturday when family and friends gathered at their home to celebrate the gift of the log cabin playhouse Erin received from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. And next week will prove to be special when Erin, who is described as a girly-girl who loves to have her nails painted, is already looking forward to when she can dress up as a princess for Halloween.

If there is one message Chris and Holli want to send to parents about sharing their story it is awareness.

"I want parents to be aware of the cancer," Holli said. Rhabdoid cancer is a rare, quick-growing cancer that usually occurs in children younger than 2 years of age. It is most commonly found in the brain and kidneys.

Despite knowing what the future holds, Chris and Holli are taking everything in stride. They know the time they have with their daughter isn't long, but are convinced that they have done everything they could for her and are prepared for the day when they have to let go of Erin.

"We are strong enough that we can handle it, and we are blessed to have had Erin," Chris said. "The doctors said it was because of us that she made it this far."

To read more about Erin and her family, visit the Web site www.babyerin.org.

Reach Julie Blum at 563-7535 or jblum@columbustelegram.com.