Help Nori Knock Out Cancer!

My name is Sara Ledger, and almost four years ago, I befriended a wonderful, strong woman, Brittany Rausch. We became fast friends, and in short order, I got to meet her beautiful family! Her daughter, Norah "Nori," stole my heart with her winning smile and endearingly always said "My Sara!" when Brittany mentioned me.

Fast forward to 2021, when Brittany and her husband, Dustin, noticed that Nori's right eye would involuntarily move up and down. After meeting with a few different doctors and being referred to the Nationwide Children's ER for a MRI, Brittany and Dustin received the devastating news that Nori most likely had an Optic Nerve Glioma placing pressure on her right optic nerve. This brain tumor is causing the involuntarily eye movement and has caused significant eyesight loss (20/200).

No parent wants to hear that their child has cancer. This hit the Rausch's like a brick, and appointments were scheduled with NeuroOncology and NeuroSurgery. Unfortunately, the tumor cannot be removed due to the location and the anatomy around the tumor, but it is TREATABLE!

Treatment options are ugly, but necessary to preserve the sight Nori has left on the right side, the sight in her left, and hopefully improve the right a little if they're lucky.

The Treatment Plan

The Rausch family has a long, hard road ahead of them. In addition to the eyesight damage, one of the medications Nori will receive could potentially cause issues with her hearing, so her hearing will need to be closely monitored throughout her treatment. The GOAL of Nori's treament is to ensure that the tumor is no longer GROWING so that what's left of her eyesight can be preserved.

Nori's treatment started this last week with a port placed by the Interventional Radiology Team. This port is a device implanted under the skin that allows easy access for blood work, fluids, and medication administered intravenously. Using this port, she received her first round of chemotherapy and she was a real trooper throughout the process!

Please help the Rausch's!

Obviously, this treatment plan will put a financial strain on the Rausch family but it's worth it to save Nori's eyesight and prevent any additional issues this tumor could cause.

I am collecting funds that will go straight to the Rausch family for Nori's medical bills and treatment as they work to navigate this difficult time. Bills are already starting to roll in from the various doctor's appointments, diagnosis tests, and treatment preparation.

Every little bit helps! Please find it in your heart to donate to the Rausch family to help ease the burden and stress this tumor is placing on their family. Updates will be provided as they are available so you can keep up with Nori's progress on her healing journey. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

What is an Optic Nerve Glioma?

https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/brain-tumors

Optic nerve gliomas are found in or around the nerves that send messages from the eyes to the brain. They are frequently found in persons who have neurofibromatosis, a condition a child is born with that makes him/her more likely to develop tumors in the brain. Persons usually experience loss of vision, as well as hormone problems, since these tumors are usually located at the base of the brain where hormonal control is located and arise (begin) from the optic nerve. These are typically difficult to treat due to the surrounding sensitive brain structures.