Alliana’s Story

On October 27, 2024, we took Alliana to the doctor because she was experiencing pain when taking a deep breath. This was the second time it happened in just 10 days. Initially, we were told she had pneumonia, despite her not showing the usual symptoms. Two days later, after a CT scan, we found ourselves meeting with an oncologist and being admitted to the hospital.

Instead of heading to Arkansas for a softball tournament, we spent Halloween in a hospital room. That day marked the beginning of life-changing challenges for our family.

On November 1st, Alliana underwent a biopsy on a mass in her chest measuring 9.7 x 9.4 x 10.6 cm. What was initially believed to be in her lung turned out to be attached to her fourth posterior rib. The mass, roughly the size of a Nerf football (nicknamed "Nerfie" by Alliana), is pressing on her esophagus, windpipe, and dangerously close to her spine.

The journey has already been full of emotional highs and lows. At first, we thought chemotherapy would begin immediately. Then, we were relieved to hear it might not be necessary—only to learn that special testing was required to determine if immunotherapy could shrink the tumor before surgery. This meant waiting 3–4 weeks.

On November 4th, a PET/CT scan confirmed the tumor is isolated—a piece of good news in a storm of uncertainty. Alliana was discharged from the hospital and told to “carry on” while we waited for test results. But for an active athlete like Alliana, being restricted from any physical activity has been incredibly difficult, even though she thankfully has no pain.

Finally, on December 2nd, we received an official diagnosis: Giant Cell Tumor (GCT) of the bone. While typically not cancerous, Alliana's case is far from typical. GCT occurs in 1 out of every million people, with less than 3% of cases affecting children under 14. Of those, less than 1% appear on the rib, making her diagnosis almost unheard of.

Even more challenging, Alliana's tumor falls into the rare 10% unlikely to respond to immunotherapy. Our next option is an arterial embolization to shrink the tumor, followed by a major, rare surgery to remove it.

We’re now seeking opinions from specialists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, home to a renowned Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Program. They offer expertise that could make all the difference in Alliana’s care.

While we are grateful for health insurance, the mounting medical bills, travel expenses, and unpaid time off work are taking a toll. We’ve set up this page to help cover these costs so we can focus on what matters most: getting Alliana the best care possible.

We also ask for your prayers—for Alliana, for our family, and for the medical team working to guide her to recovery.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your love and support.