My cousin Winona is the most bubbliest, talkative, sweetest (slightly sassiest), strong-willed girl. She’s 12 years old and is in the 6th grade. She loves playing volleyball, choir, going to the YMCA, horseback riding, playing video games and hanging out with her friends. The week of February 5th Winona was sent home from school for a bloody nose they couldn't get under control. Her father Robert ultimately brought her to the Emergency room where they believed it was a nasal polyp and referred her to ENT. By February 12th Winona’s nostril doubled in size and her parents Emily and Robert brought her to the ER again which resulted in an ambulance ride to Milwaukee Children’s hospital. She was later admitted that day due to uncertainty of what the growth in her nasal cavity was. By February 14th our family received the news that Winona had been diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare childhood cancer. As you can imagine this news has not only devastated our entire family but it has completely disrupted her life along with her mother and father’s. This type of cancer forms in her muscle tissue and what we now know is that she has three confirmed tumors. One in her nasal cavity, another one that is pushing on her T2 vertebrae and has resulted in a fracture of that vertebrae, and another one lower in her spine. Winona now has to wear a back brace 24/7 in hopes for the fracture to heal on its own or she may need surgery further down the road. She started chemotherapy this past Monday and the current plan is for her to continue receiving chemotherapy and then radiation treatments for at least a year. The treatments that she receives are down in Milwaukee and can sometimes result in an overnight stay depending on how she is feeling. The journey will be a long one but our Winona is a fighter. Our intentions with your donations is that they will provide her parents some assistance with travel, medical bills, and living expenses while they help Winona overcome this!

Our family sincerely appreciates any thoughts, prayers, shares or donations that you offer during this time. Thank you!