My name is Melinda, and I’m a mother of three — a 10-year-old, a 5-year-old, and my sweet 3-year-old daughter, Ava. A few months ago, our lives changed forever when Ava was diagnosed with Stage II Ependymoma, a rare and aggressive brain tumor.

It started with vomiting, fatigue, and Ava refusing to eat. For weeks, doctors told us it was “just a phase,” but my mother’s instinct told me otherwise. A CT scan finally revealed the heartbreaking truth — a tumor pressing against her brain near the posterior fossa. Within hours, Ava underwent a 9-hour emergency brain surgery.

Today, Ava is bravely fighting through intense proton radiation therapy at both Long Island hospitals and the Manhattan Proton Center. We live in Queens, NY, and while our extended family is two hours away upstate, they cannot leave their own lives to be here with us full-time. Every day, we’re balancing hospital trips, caring for our two boys, and trying to hold our home together through this emotional and financial storm.

We are humbly asking for $20,000 to help us:

• Cover transportation for Ava’s daily treatments.

• Pay our overdue rent and utilities to keep a safe home for her recovery.

• Afford basic necessities like groceries and household bills.

• Maintain and repair our family car, which is vital to getting Ava to treatment.

• Manage childcare and summer care costs for our boys during this critical period.

We are asking for your support to help us:

• Cover transportation and lodging expenses for Ava’s ongoing treatments.

• Pay our overdue rent and utilities to keep a stable and safe home where Ava can recover.

• Manage groceries, childcare, and household bills to care for our entire family during this crisis.

• Maintain and repair our only family vehicle, which is essential for getting Ava to her life-saving treatments.

• Support therapy costs not fully covered by insurance, helping Ava regain her speech, mobility, and independence.

We are a strong family, but this battle has taken a toll on us emotionally, physically, and financially. Ava is our little warrior, and we are determined to give her the best chance at recovery.

Any donation, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to keeping our family together and giving Ava a stable, loving environment to heal in.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for reading, sharing, and supporting Ava’s fight.