Shais fight against DIPG.

Shai Williams turned three in April, and even back then his mom, Shakira, had a gut feeling that something might be wrong. Shai seemed to be more clumsy than other kids his age, had trouble chewing and swallowing his food, would often drool, and had trouble focusing his eyes. Shakira took him to the doctor, who told her that falling down and drooling is normal for a three year old, and to bring him back if he was still exhibiting the same behaviors when he turned four.


Months passed and Shai’s clumsiness and drooling only increased, so Shakira took him to get his eyes checked, thinking poor vision might be the issue. Then she took him back to the pediatrician again, but each time she was told that Shai was normal, and not to worry. Shai’s condition only worsened. He became more withdrawn, would cry for what seemed like no reason, fell down all the time, and would hold his food in his mouth instead of chewing. As a single mother who had taken care of Shai entirely on her own, Shakira looked to the medical professionals to assuage her feeling that something might be serious wrong with Shai, and tried to trust their expertise, but the feeling never left her gut.

The Inevitable Truth Revealed

Last week, Shai had a violent seizure, and Shakira rushed him to emergency, where his symptoms could no longer be brushed off. An MRI revealed Shai’s prognosis: DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma), one of the most deadly pediatric brain tumors known to mankind. DIPG is a heartbreakingly underfunded and under-researched disease, and has made few advancements in treatment in the last 60 years. At this time, DIPG has a 0% survival rate, with 10% living 2 years past diagnosis, and only 1% living 5 years past diagnosis.

Steroids and radiation are the only forms of treatment for Shai at this time, and will hopefully cause his tumor to shrink so that his survival time is extended.


How You Can Help

Your donations will go towards:

•Shai’s medical bills
•Steroids and radiation
•To help Shakira pay rent and stay afloat while so many of her man hours are dedicated to her son
•Travel to see a specialist
•Fun activities for Shai to appreciate life’s pleasures
•All the postmortem arrangements that are so hard to think about right now
•Everything after will be donated to DIPG research and awareness

If you can’t donate! Please share Shai’s story and campaign. Not only are we trying to help Shai and Shakira through a tragic, completely life altering time, we’re also trying to raise awareness for DIPG. It is heartbreaking for everyone who knows Shai to realize that his survival time may have been lengthened by a prior knowledge and awareness of his disease, and that there are so many other children who face a similar hopeless diagnosis without the proper research and funding the disease deserves.