Ozzy Fighting for Life

Little two-year-old Ozzy Brown was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) Brain Cancer and Hydrocephaly earlier this year.

Ozzy has since turned 3 and is in the FIGHT for his LIFE!! His Mommy and Daddy are absolutely torn to pieces. This has taken all the air out of them and while it’s hard sometimes even to smile...they do for Ozzy because he needs them! They don’t like asking for or accepting help, but they realize it is necessary to allow them to focus on fighting for Ozzy’s life.

To learn more about Ozzy, visit his Facebook page FIGHT LIKE OZZY and like it, share his pages, tell his story, pray and please donate if you are able. Ozzy and his parents are in the biggest battle of their lives. His mommy shared, “I carried this baby below my heart and God knows I want as much time with him as possible.” Please keep Ozzy and his family in your thoughts and prayers. The family appreciates all of the support, prayers, and love of the community...Ozzy and his family need it more than ever before!

Here are some details about Ozzy’s story.

In November and December of 2021, little Ozzy (2 years of age) started having progressively worse vision issues. In February, he became ill with COVID and an optometrist assumed that the fever took center stage for his immune system - meaning that his entire body focused on fighting his fever instead of correcting his eyesight as it had previously done and they received a diagnosis of strabismus (crossed eyes). Although his parents, Chyla and JJ, searched out additional optometrists for more opinions and help, they were still left with really no answer to any of the problems Ozzy was experiencing. One optometrist told them to

wait six months to see if his eyes would uncross and correct themselves over time...saying that it was too early to start a prescription and to wait six months. This did not sit well with the parents, and they continued searching for more answers. Parental instinct kicked in as they knew deep down that something bigger was wrong, and they fought to have a brain scan done of little Ozzy’s brain.

On March 4, 2022, Mom felt like something was really wrong with Ozzy. She took him to the ER and demanded a CT or MRI of Ozzy’s brain. An MRI brain scan was done only to reveal a parent’s worst nightmare...they were told that their sweet little guy had a brain tumor the size of a golfball located directly on his brain stem. This was treated as an immediate medical emergency and Ozzy was transported to Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon by the PANDAS team. Not time to pack any belongings they were moved into a small room in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. They prayed and hoped for the best with no knowledge of what the tumor meant for Ozzy or how much their lives would change after this night.

On March 5, 2022, Ozzy had hydrocephaly so badly that emergency surgery was performed to drain cerebral spinal fluid from inside Ozzy’s skull by placing a shunt. The shunt relieved pressure from behind his optic nerve, which improved his vision some.

Another MRI was performed. March 6, 2022. Upon reviewing the MRI, it was determined Ozzy would need another surgery to adjust the positioning of the shunt. The medical team later gave their diagnosis based on the MRI. Ozzy’s parents were told the worst thing parents could be told in this situation. Ozzy was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), an inoperable cancerous brain tumor. Told to go home and make memories, they chose otherwise. His parents decided, “That’s not what a Brown does...we get up and FIGHT

and that's just what we are going to do for our baby....we’re fighting for you Oz!!!”

March 28, 2022. Twenty-Four days after Ozzy’s D-Day (Diagnosis Day) he started and 3 weeks of radiation was done at a higher than normal level because children Ozzy’s age respond well to and can handle higher doses. He had an awesome response to radiation treatment and regained some very important motor mobilities.

July 12, 2022. He started Chemotherapy. Now we are in the second week of August 2022. Ozzy and his parents just returned from Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle, WA, where Ozzy’s T-cells were drawn to be modified and multiplied in a lab to become cancer-fighting cells. In about 8 weeks, Ozzy will return to Seattle Children’s Hospital to continue his journey with CAR-T THERAPY. He and his family will need to remain in Seattle, as Ozzy can not be over one hour away

from the hospital during the clinical trial. If his little body receives the treatment well after the duration of those 2 months, he will only have to return once every 2 weeks for his CAR-T injection.

How can we help?

With that said it is unimaginable trying to even navigate this process without the

strength, love, and moral and financial support of friends, family, community, and

strangers alike. Time is limited and is so precious, so let’s make every day count!

This fundraiser will help fund the family’s required to stay in Seattle, Washington while Ozzy starts his clinical trial at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Donations help with the financial burden of a terminally ill child.

Food has become increasingly expensive. Often after sitting in a hospital waiting for scans, tests, procedures, surgeries, or being on the road all day, the only quick option is fast food. The family will need a hotel or airbnb while in Seattle. The family will likely need to rent a vehicle, as their current vehicle is not large enough for the entire family and Ozzy’s wagon, which is used to help transport him when he becomes tired. Donations will also help the family make precious memories like taking Ozzy to the Zoo, seeing a baseball game, going to a movie, comfort items and activities for Ozzy, a present to put a smile on his face, taking him out for a nice dinner with sweet treats like chocolate and ice cream. Being able to pay rent, regular bills, buy groceries, repair their vehicle, medication, and miscellaneous things needed that come up having children will be made possible through donations. With the future uncertain for Ozzy, JJ Ozzy’s daddy has been unable to work for 4 months putting all his focus into fighting for Ozzy’s life. DIPG has put the family under considerable financial strain.