Elizabeth Carlin was a typical teenager preparing for her 16th birthday. Life was about school and family. What started as headaches, then severe double vision, an MRI determined there was something devastating going on- a tumor growing a large cyst in the back of her brain by the brain stem.

Within days, Elizabeth was at The University of Iowa Stead Family Childrens Hospital undergoing emergency surgery. This first surgery put in an EVD (drain) to relieve the pressure from the tumor and cyst. Her next surgery, a craniotomy, was performed five days later to remove the tumor on the lower right part of her brain stem.

A diagnosis of VHL, a rare genetic disease, will cause Elizabeth to be monitored every three months. VHL causes cysts and tumors to grow on her pancreas and spine. Monitoring will ensure the tumors on her spine do not become and issue and that her brain stays normal.

The Carlin family has given a lot of themselves to their community and the community where Pete teaches. This fundraiser is our chance to show our support of them. It can be a tiny bright spot in this difficult journey that just started.