Please help support Dalia Brown and her family

Dalia is 11 years old and in the 6th grade. She has 2 older brothers and one younger brother. She also has a golden retriever, a cat, and a gecko. She loves playing soccer, hanging out with her friends, and spending time with her family including her brothers and cousins. Unfortunately, Dalia has migrating brain lesions of unclear etiology. Her first lesion was found in March 2022 after having Epstein Barr Virus and influenza. The lesions appear to be increasing and the larger ones cause more inflammation. Her constant symptom is fatigue; however, her symptoms continue to change depending on where in the brain the lesions are affecting. She started with right sided involvement and currently has left sided involvement. The lesions have affected her cognition, memory, balance and writing, walking, and level of independence. Dalia does regain some of her skills; however permanent damage and changes do occur.

She has been treated at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and has been followed by a large team of knowledgeable doctors. Her doctors at CHOC have ruled out a lot of things. They have done CT scans, pet scan, MRI with and without contrast, MRI-specs, 2 brain biopsies, lumbar punctures, blood draws, genetic testing. Her case has been sent and reviewed with Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, Mayo Clinic, Seattle, UCI, UCSF, and the National Institute of Health (NIH). We have trialed 2 different treatments that have appeared to be ineffective.

After exhausting the resources at CHOC and as Dalia’s symptoms have progressed, we have sought out care at Benioff UCSF Children’s Hospital at the end of November 2023. Dalia has undergone another brain biopsy, lumbar puncture, and blood draws to identify a diagnosis. We are currently waiting for different results and will start another treatment. We still do not have a diagnosis. Meanwhile Dalia is fighting the best that she can. She is an amazingly strong girl who is loved by so many people. She is a warrior and “DaBest”!