ZACHARY — It’s a sound the Dearmans have been waiting a long time to hear. After a year of hospitalizations, questions, and fighting, three-year-old Berkley got to ring the bell, signaling she beat multiple rare and life-threatening complications, including HLH and DRESS syndrome.
Berkley’s mom, Katie, shared photos from the big moment with UWK, and said the sign she is standing in front of was delivered to the family when they were in the ICU from their friends in Zachary. They kept it throughout all of their hospital stays and had all of Berkley’s nurses, doctors, and visitors sign.
Katie posted about the big day on Facebook, saying it was the one of the most special days of their lives. She said Berkley will go for follow-up labs every two to three months until she hits the one year mark of being off of her immunotherapy drugs in February 2027.
READ MORE FROM BERKLEY’S JOURNEY:
Family leans on faith after new DRESS flare following surgery
‘Super Berkley’ cleared for surgery: Family prepares for next step in her miracle journey
Update: Berkley walks out of St. Jude after 87 Days: A hard-fought hallelujah
Original Story March 21
ZACHARY — Nearly a year after fighting for her life inside the halls of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, little Berkley Dearman is doing something her family once prayed desperately to see again: running, dancing, and preparing to play T-ball.
For months, Berkley’s story captured the hearts of a community that watched a three-year-old battle rare and life-threatening complications, including HLH and DRESS syndrome, multiple ICU stays, and emergency procedures that doctors say few children endure.
Now, her mother says Berkley is not just surviving — she’s thriving.
“She’s actually doing amazing,” said her mom, Katie Dearman. “Her ileostomy reversal surgery in November was successful. Everything is working like it should, and it’s been such a huge blessing to not have her bag anymore. It was really restricting her activity, so we were just so happy and thankful for it to be gone.”
A Long Road Back
The Dearman family spent months living in and out of St. Jude, where Berkley underwent intensive treatments and monitoring after severe immune reactions triggered by medications.
One of the biggest milestones came recently when Berkley completed her final dose of cyclosporine, a medication used to control the DRESS reaction that had previously sent her to the ICU.
“That was a big accomplishment for Berkley,” Dearman said.
During their latest trip to Memphis, doctors conducted medication patch testing to determine which drugs had caused Berkley’s life-threatening reactions.
At the time of her ICU stays, Berkley had been taking more than 20 medications.
After months of testing, doctors believe they’ve identified the two most likely triggers.
“It looks like we’ve identified two culprits — vancomycin and hydralazine,” Dearman said. “Those will now be on her severe allergy list, and she just won’t receive those medications again.”
Doctors believe Berkley’s immune system has now stabilized enough that most other antibiotics should be safe moving forward.
But perhaps the biggest news from their most recent visit is something the family once wondered if they would ever hear.
Possibly the Last Trip to St. Jude
Berkley’s lab results are so strong that doctors told the family they may no longer need routine follow-ups in Memphis.
“Her labs are looking great and she’s doing so well that we don’t have to follow up in Memphis,” Dearman said. “This past visit could have been our last time there.”
Instead, Berkley will now continue care closer to home through the St. Jude affiliate clinic in Baton Rouge, with follow-ups every two months.
While the news brought joy, it also stirred emotion.
“We will definitely miss St. Jude,” Dearman said. “It was our home away from home for nine months.”
A Reunion with the Doctor Who Saved Her
During their final visit, the family had a powerful and unexpected moment.
Walking through the hospital hallway, they ran into the doctor who had helped save Berkley’s life — twice.
“The two times he had seen her before were when she was in ICU,” Dearman said. “Her blood pressure had bottomed out, and her face was blue. She was so incredibly sick.”
This time was different.
“He got to see her running around. It was a totally different kid,” she said. “He was so excited to see her.”
The moment served as a powerful reminder of just how far Berkley has come.
A Celebration Waiting at Home
Back in Baton Rouge, Berkley’s medical team is preparing a celebration of their own.
At her next appointment, doctors plan to honor Berkley with a bell-ringing ceremony, something often reserved for patients finishing major treatment.
“They said it will be all her favorite things — yellow and Bluey,” Dearman said with a laugh.
Back to Being a Kid
Today, Berkley’s life looks very different than it did inside the hospital.
She returned to dance in January and is now preparing to start T-ball.
“She’s just so excited,” Dearman said.
Even more remarkable, Berkley has no upcoming surgeries and no medications scheduled — something her family once feared might never happen.
“We feel incredibly blessed,” Dearman said. “Not only did God give us a miracle and give us our girl back, but He gave her back healthy.”
A Changed Little Girl
Berkley went into the hospital shy and reserved.
Her mother worried the trauma of everything she endured might make her even more withdrawn.
Instead, the opposite happened.
“It actually brought her out of her shell,” Dearman said. “She is full of personality and so happy. Her light shines even brighter now than it did before.”
Still, the weight of what they survived together never fully leaves.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t look at her and think about the gracious love God showed to Berkley,” Dearman said. “But not just to her — to our family and our entire community who prayed for her.”
Dearman pauses when trying to describe the gratitude she feels.
“We feel so incredibly blessed,” she said. “But honestly, even saying that feels like the understatement of the century.”
Looking at her daughter today — laughing, running, and preparing for T-ball — she says one thought comes to mind again and again.
“It’s hard to even look at her without thinking about how great God is.”
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