Help Baby Amelia Fight Hepatoblastoma

Hi friends and family,

My name is Lisa, and I’m reaching out to ask for your support for my son Brandon, my daughter-in-law Frances, and my granddaughter Amelia.

Amelia was born in April of 2024, 4 months premature, weighing only 12 1/2 ounces. Preeclampsia caused both Frances and baby Amelia to be in serious danger. An emergency C-section was the only option. Due to Amelia being a micro-preemie, she spent her first 5 months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Continued Care Nursery at UAB hospital. During Amelia’s time in the care units, she was tube-fed, on a ventilator/oxygen, experienced lung bleeding, was given blood transfusions, and was continuously tested and monitored. To say her start was a struggle is an understatement. After 143 days in the hospital, Amelia was finally able to go home with her mom and dad. In September, their daughter came home weighing a whopping 9 pounds, still on oxygen and taking a slew of various medications/supplements.

Amelia’s development progress has been assisted by therapy, and she has had major milestones in the short time being at home. She has a true fighter’s spirit, and now she must fight a new battle: a very rare liver cancer (Hepatoblastoma). Her cancer is a one-in-a-million type of cancer, but low birth weight babies are at higher risk for this diagnosis. Imaging revealed that Amelia has not only cancer spots on her liver, but it has metastasized to one of her lungs. Amelia is receiving multiple rounds of two different chemotherapy drugs, and will need surgery to remove the tumors or, more likely, she will need a liver transplant. The UAB transplant team has spoken with the family and has stated that living donor transplants can be done, but they would have to go out of state for this medical expertise. As you can see, this has been a difficult journey for them as new parents and a challenge for baby Amelia.

How You Can Help

We’re asking for your support to help ease the financial burden on Frances and Brandon. Your donations will go directly toward:

- Medical bills for Amelia’s NICU stay, future surgeries, and specialized care for her cancer treatments.

- Missed work days, travel, and other costs related to Amelia’s medical appointments.

- Amelia’s long-term care and therapies to support her development.

Every contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a difference. Your kindness and generosity will allow Frances and Brandon to focus on what matters most: making sure Amelia has the medical care she requires and deserves.

Thank You

From the bottom of our hearts, we are so grateful for your support—whether it’s through a donation, sharing this campaign, or keeping Frances, Brandon, and Amelia in your thoughts. Your love and compassion mean everything to us during this challenging time.

Thank you for being part of their story.

With gratitude,

Lisa and family