On February 9th, seven-year-old Sophia Diana Long walked into school like any other day—bright, full of life, and unaware that everything was about to change. Within hours, her teachers noticed something was terribly wrong. Sophia could no longer walk or stabilize herself. She was sent to the school nurse, and from there, rushed to a nearby emergency room.

What doctors found shattered her family’s world.

A CT scan revealed a baseball-sized mass on Sophia’s brain.

In an instant, a normal school day turned into a nightmare no parent is ever prepared for. Sophia was life-flighted to Iowa City, fighting a battle she was far too young to understand. After additional testing, doctors were forced to sedate her to drain fluid off her brain to relieve dangerous pressure. Every moment since has been filled with fear, uncertainty, and prayer.

On February 11, 2026, Sophia will undergo surgery to remove the mass from her brain.

There are no words that truly capture what it feels like to watch a seven-year-old child endure something so overwhelming—how quickly life can shift from laughter and homework to hospital rooms, machines, and whispered conversations no parent ever wants to hear. Sophia is brave beyond her years, but this road will be long, painful, and filled with challenges no family should have to face alone.

Her family is asking—humbly and desperately—for prayers, support, and help during this unimaginable time.

Between extended hospital stays, travel, missed work, medical bills, and the unknowns that lie ahead, the financial and emotional burden is immense. This journey will not end after surgery. Recovery will take time. Healing will take strength. And hope will take a village.

If you are able to give, please know that every donation, no matter the amount, helps lift a small piece of the weight this family is carrying. If you cannot give financially, please consider sharing this page and keeping Sophia Diana Long in your prayers.