Meg Schmidt, 4, spins around and around in her pink princess dress, smiling at herself in the mirror. A few moments later, she pulls on the green Princess Ariel skirt she likes to pair with coconut shells.

“Hey, that’s me,” she said, “cute Meg!”

Meg likes to draw princesses. She likes to watch princess movies. She likes to talk about her two favorite princesses – Ariel and Jasmine.

And when she wears her princess dresses and high heels up to Cook Children’s Hospital, she’s pretty much known as Princess Meg, said her mom, Sheri.

For now, Meg still talks to her friends through the window, over the phone or on the webcam. And visitors who come over to her Flower Mound home to see her must cover their shoes and use hand sanitizer – all necessary precautions.

At age 3, Meg was diagnosed with high-risk Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia on Nov. 16, 2008 – a day that will be long remembered by her dad, Steve; mom, Sheri; and older sister, Jenna.

In addition to Meg’s lethargic behavior that day, Sheri noticed a spot of dried blood in Meg’s mouth and rushed her to a 24-hour clinic. From there, they were sent to Cook Children’s Hospital where they were met by Meg’s pediatrician for the diagnosis.

“It’s all been hard,” Sheri said. “For me, the hardest part has been watching her in pain.”

But the community has been there every step of the way.

Meg’s pediatrician, Dr. Kim Burgess, visited the family every night for the first couple of months that Meg was hospitalized. Friends from Creekwood Christian Church in Flower Mound brought the Schmidts two meals every week while Meg was in and out of the hospital. A friend helped Sheri set up a journal on CaringBridge.com to keep family and friends updated on Meg’s illness. And even Meg’s next door neighbor Dylan DeFreitas, who is Flower Mound High School’s mascot, Jaggy the Jaguar, comes to visit her on occasion.

Sheri said the journey has strengthened the family’s faith.

“It opens your eyes to what’s really important in life,” she said. “It opens your eyes to find ways to help others. It brings people closer together.”

That’s just what the Schmidts are doing – helping others.

On Oct. 11, Meg and her family will carry lighted balloons during the Light The Night Walk in Fort Worth to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Sheri, Steve and Jenna will carry red balloons to show their support. Meg’s balloon will be white – because she is a survivor.

Although Meg still has almost two years of treatment, she’s in the last phase – the maintenance phase.

“We’re happy to be in maintenance,” Sheri said. “It’s a happy milestone to reach when you’re on this journey. But it still doesn’t take the fear away. We’re still very cautious.”

Nevertheless, Meg said she feels a little better these days.

“I’m strong and big,” she said, curling her arms to show off her muscles. “I pull up my shirt and they put in my shot. I don’t even make peeps anymore.”

Meg is already planning her Make-A-Wish trip to Walt Disney World next year.

Surely, she’ll get to meet a few princesses.

“I want to be a princess when I grow up, but I’m already a princess,” she said. “How about if I be a lion when I grow up? No, I’m going to be a cute, grown-up lemur.”

View more photos of Princess Meg.

Lindsey Bever is a reporter with neighborsgo and can be reached at 972-436-5551 ext. 3004 or via e-mail at lbever@neighborsgo.com. If you have a story, photo or video you'd like to share, please post it directly on neighborsgo.com.