A Happy Ending for Maddi: Finally Cancer-Free

ATLANTA -- This week is special for five-year-old Maddi Goss; in fact, her parents call it a miracle. Just two years ago, Maddi was given a 25 percent chance for survival, a liver transplant the only cure.

The Liver Transplant Team at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta saved her life and celebrated with Maddi as she visited the Egleston Hospital facility on the Emory University Campus.

11Alive's Bill Liss first met Maddi and her parents, Lara and Glenn, on Valentine's Day 2007 at Scottish Rite Hospital. Bill was distributing special gifts for all the children at the three Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospitals -- Scottish Rite, Egleston, and Hughes Spalding.

There was an instant bond.

Bill was back two months later, just before her life-saving liver transplant surgery.

Then, Maddi got a special surprise for Christmas as she was continuing her steady improvement: two hand-made princess dresses sewn by Jeanette Boissy, mother of 11Alive photojournalist Stephen Boissy, along with a special party in her honor.

This week, two years since Maddi's life-changing surgery, she got news that every youngster and parent in the Goss family's situation wants to hear.

"I think we were all worried about her," said Dr. Thomas Heffron. "But we are just so happy that now, two years out, and [there has been] no recurrent tumor. The risk of a tumor coming back now is basically zero."

"We are so thankful for this day," said Glenn Goss. "She is such a special part of our family and our life, and she has touched so many lives around her. She is our little miracle."

It's a miracle she shared with her classmates at Still Elementary School in Powder Springs, where they all joined to wish Maddi a happy fifth birthday.

For Maddi Goss, it means enjoying every minute of her life, and doing it cancer-free.