Hope for Anna Fund (Anna Ortega)

Anna Ortega is a beautiful 10-year-old girl. She is kind, compassionate, and determined. She loves to learn and write out her schedule every day on all the things she wants to accomplish.  She is a planner! She has her entire life mapped out how she would love things to go.  She has a love for good food and is one of the main cooks of the family.  Coming from a family of nine, her siblings love it when Anna is around to whip them up something delicious. Anna also LOVES music and has played the piano since she was 5. Her hard work and dedication has won her many piano competitions. She loves to sing and can often be found at the piano singing primary songs while she plays.  She loves her family and friends and sends them notes on a regular basis telling them how much they are appreciated and loved. She is a true light to those around her and to this world. Anna is Hope. #hopeforanna

On Friday, March 24, 2017 Anna ran over to her mom, Mindi, mid-soccer game and told her she needed to make an appointment to see an eye doctor because her eyes were getting blurry. A few days later she said she didn't feel well and complained of double vision. Her mom picked her up from school and noticed her eye looked like it was drooping. She was immediately taken to Phoenix Children's Hospital where she had a CT scan and MRI. They found 2 brain tumors, deep within the brain. One tumor was removed via surgery on Thursday, March 30th. The remaining tumor lies within the brain stem and is inoperable. She was diagnosed with a very rare aggressive type of cancer called DIPG.  The doctors gave her 6-12 months for her to live with the option of radiology and chemotherapy to prolong her life for a few more months. This cancer is known to go away for a little bit after doing these treatments but then to come back with vengeance taking the child's life within a couple months. DIPG is so rare that there is not much being done to find a cure. However, her family has chosen to receive treatment at The Burzynski Clinic in Houston, Texas. Dr. Burzynski gives patients anteneoplastins that is formulated to turn on cancer fighting cells and turn off cancer producing cells. While there she is receiving that along with some gene targeted therapy pills. This combination is given in hope to cure her. 

Her parents are asking that people all over join in prayer for their family. They know the prognosis but they know they were led to Dr. Burzynski's as the path they are to take. They know that God can and does perform miracles and they are praying every day that He will perform one for Anna. The cost of the clinic is extremely expensive and not covered by insurance. Anna is getting stronger with the treatments but the only way Anna can continue her treatment is from the financial help of others. Their family needs Anna. The world needs Anna. Every amount is big or small is appreciated from the bottom of their hearts.