Emma Davis has a thousand-watt smile. It has powered her through one of the toughest years of her life.
The 11-year-old Georgia girl is days away from finishing cancer treatment — nearly 20 rounds of chemotherapy and one 10-hour surgery behind her. And this Saturday, she gets a day that is all about her.
News4JAX is partnering with Dreams Come True and PRI Productions to present Dreams Come True 2026, a celebration honoring local children who are battling life-threatening illnesses.
A medical journey that took months to solve
Emma’s health challenges began in June 2024.
“She was hospitalized for having fluid around her kidney,” her mother, Wynter Davis, said.
A round of antibiotics helped, and Emma bounced back quickly. An active child, she returned to pageants and dancing — the things she loved most.
But a year and a half later, in November 2025, problems returned in that same kidney. What followed was a months-long search for answers.
“We were told, ‘we don’t think it’s cancer’ to, you know, they’re admitting her to the hospital, to this giant tumor taking up half of her abdomen,” Wynter Davis said.
Emma was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor, the most common type of kidney cancer in children. Chemotherapy started immediately.
Surgery that lasted 10 hours
Doctors hoped chemo would shrink the tumor enough to make surgery safer — and it did. However, it was still a complicated operation.
“We did that, and then it shrunk it a good bit, and then we were able to do the surgery more safely, but it was supposed to be a three-hour surgery, and it ended up in a 10-hour surgery because it was stuck to all my liver and stuff,” Emma said.
Even through treatment, Emma has stayed focused on the finish line.
“I feel fine right now, but whenever I get like the chemo and stuff, it kind of knocks me down for a couple days,” she said.
The bell is almost within reach
In just a few days, Emma will ring the bell — the traditional hospital milestone that marks the end of chemotherapy.
“That’s when I ring the bell for chemo, when I finish my chemo. High five!” Emma said. When asked how she will feel on that day, her answer was simple: “So good. So good.”
Dream Day 2026: 36 kids get the royal treatment
On Saturday, Emma is one of 36 children from across Northeast Florida who will be honored at Dreams Come True 2026. Each child is battling a life-threatening illness.
For one day, they get to forget all of that.
The Dreamer Kids will dress up as their favorite characters, walk a 150-foot red carpet, meet their heroes, and celebrate with family and friends.
You can watch it live from 10 a.m. to noon on WJXT Channel 4 and streaming on News4JAX Plus.