Help Rider Addison Yeagley Continue Her Fight

Rider Addison Yeagley was born on December 17, 2023. At just 15 months old, her world—and her family’s—changed forever.

On May 2, Rider was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, a rare and aggressive brain cancer. The very next day, May 3, she was rushed into emergency surgery. Doctors discovered three tumors on her spine, a baseball-sized tumor at the bottom of her brain, and another tumor on the top of her brain that is inoperable.

In a matter of days, this once-healthy baby lost the ability to walk, eat, and speak.

Since her diagnosis, Rider has endured more than any child ever should. She has undergone five major surgeries:

* A drain placed in her head to relieve dangerous fluid buildup

* A Broviac catheter placed in her chest

* A life-saving surgery to remove the baseball-sized tumor from her cerebellum and brainstem

* A shunt placed to control fluid on her brain

* A G-tube surgery so she could receive nutrition and eat

Rider has bravely completed 27 chemotherapy treatments at UVA, followed by 27 more in Washington, DC, along with three stem cell transplants. While the chemotherapy has successfully shrunk the tumors on her spine, it has been unable to cross the blood-brain barrier to reach the remaining brain tumor.

Now, Rider faces even more procedures. Doctors must replace her Broviac catheter with a port catheter and place an Ommaya port directly into her brain. This will allow chemotherapy to reach the tumor that cannot be removed by surgery and help keep it from growing.

Radiation is not an option until Rider turns three years old. She just celebrated her second birthday, meaning there is still a long year ahead before radiation can even begin.

Although Rider has come incredibly far, her journey is far from over.

What makes this story even more heartbreaking is that before her diagnosis, two hospitals sent her home, telling her family she only had strep throat. It wasn’t until UVA stepped in that the truth was discovered—and they gave this baby a chance at life.

Rider is a fighter. She is strong, brave, and full of light. But her fight comes with overwhelming medical expenses, travel costs, time away from work, and ongoing care needs.

Any donation, prayer, or share helps ease the burden on this family and allows them to focus on what matters most—giving Rider the chance to grow, heal, and live the life she deserves.

Thank you for supporting Rider Addison Yeagley and standing with her as she continues this fight.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9