Hello there, my name is Addy Tolliver and I have set up this campaign to help my cousin and his beautiful family. This is their story:

We are Lenita and Julio, and we are here imploring for your help to save our son, Rafael, who is only 6 years old.

In December of 2022, our lives changed drastically when Rafael started to drool and fall easily. Within a matter of days he lost all his balance, which seemed so easy for an active kid like him. We took Rafael to Hospital São Luís de São Caetano do Sul, where we found that he was battling a cruel and silent enemy: an inoperable brain tumor called DIGP (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma).

For DIPG, there isn’t an easy solution. It is a type of childhood cancer that attacks children around 5 and 7 years old. Unfortunately, it is aggressive and fatal, giving a maximum of 9-12 months after it is diagnosed. The Hospital São Luís gave us one week with Rafael, but with a lot of effort we were able to transfer him to GRAACC.

At GRAACC, Rafael went through a round of radiation in January of 2023. In March of 2023, we got him to a clinical study in Miami called ONC201, which provided him with some temporary relief. We had to travel frequently to Miami to get his medication, but they only gave us small quantities that only covered a small period of time. Nonetheless, in December of 2023 the tumor progressed, sending us back to another round of radiation treatment in January 2024.

Currently, Rafael’s mobility is impaired, with his whole left side paralyzed and with little balance. That keeps him from walking, but he is currently doing physical therapy and rehabilitation at CTNEN in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil. While he is physically impaired, he is talkative, eating well, and interacting well with others. Unfortunately, GRAACC does not have enough resources to help Rafael. In Brazil we have exhausted all possibilities to help him.

After many failed attempts in other countries, we have been given our last hope in Seattle, where Rafael was accepted to participate in a very innovative clinical trial called Car-T Cell. This treatment will use the patient’s cells to fight cancer. However, to participate in this study we need to move to Seattle and deal with the costs of consultations, treatment, and living expenses for about two years. While in Seattle, we will not be able to work. That will be incredibly challenging.

This is why we now beg for your help. Any help, as small as it can be, will make a huge impact in our lives and will give us a fighting chance to battle for the life of our only son. He is an incredible kid, full of life and love, and deserves a long and happy life.

Your generosity will be the difference for him to win this battle and stay alive. Please consider making a donation and sharing this story. We sincerely thank you for your help.