UPDATE:

When this GoFundMe was first created, we were in a completely different place. Elijah was NED which means no evidence of disease. We thought we were moving into the maintenance phase meaning continued low dose chemo, natural treatments, follow-up care, trying to slowly piece life back together while still fighting behind the scenes.

Two short months later, everything changed.

An MRI revealed two new tumors on 4/6/2026.

Since then, Elijah has endured his THIRD brain surgery, another long-term port placement, and is now facing incredibly aggressive high-dose chemotherapy all over again. Some of the additional treatments doctors & the family are trying to pursue come with staggering costs, including medications reaching upwards of $500,000 that insurance is refusing to cover. And the reality is that the expenses don’t stop there.

Unfortunately, at this point, Elijah is in the hospital more than he is home. There are endless trips back and forth, parking fees, gas, meals, childcare help for his sisters, lost work hours, medications, supplies, and all the things people never even think about until they are living within the walls of this nightmare themselves. We are literally all hands on deck at this point trying to keep this family afloat while also trying to stay one step ahead of this extremely aggressive tumor.

This fight has become a race. A race to get Elijah the treatments he needs faster than this terrible disease can move.

If you are able to donate, we are beyond grateful. Every single contribution matters more than we can ever explain.

If you cannot donate, please do not underestimate the power of sharing this post or praying for Elijah. Somewhere out there may be the person who can help carry this family through the next step of this fight.

Thank you for continuing to stand beside Elijah and our entire family. Thank you for the prayers, the messages, the meals, the love, the shares, the donations, and for refusing to let the Rowden’s fight alone.

Please keep praying for our Bravest Tiger, Super E. He is still fighting with everything he has.

I’m reaching out today as a mother and grandmother to ask for help for my family. Specifically for my grandson, Elijah, and his parents, Hope and Zack. In April, our family’s world was turned upside down when Elijah was rushed into emergency brain surgery. They almost immediately received the devastating news that Elijah was diagnosed with ETMR (Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes). ETMR is a rare and extremely aggressive pediatric brain cancer with a 30% survival rate. From that moment on, my daughter Hope and her husband Zack have been living a life no parent ever imagines for their child.

At only 4 years old, Elijah has already faced more than most adults ever will. He has endured two major brain surgeries. The second due to the type of tumor and returning at 5 cm. within 3 weeks, which was also to be the short window when his little body was supposed to be healing. Doctors informed them that attempting another surgery would only cause more harm without changing the outcome. Instead, they had to move forward with aggressive treatment.

Elijah then went through proton radiation therapy, which required him to be sedated EVERY SINGLE WEEKDAY for six weeks, while simultaneously receiving chemo. His first dose was on his 4th birthday. Watching your child hold your grandchild while being put under anesthesia day after day is something no family is prepared for. By the grace of God, by the end of radiation, the tumor was gone. Following radiation, he has just completed five of the six months of high dose chemotherapy, and he will soon begin a long-term maintenance treatment plan.

This has been an incredibly long, exhausting, and emotional journey. But it turns out this fight is far from over. This cancer is relentless, and his treatment journey continues.

Doctors have recently shared that treatment (ongoing and future) out-of-pocket medical costs are expected to exceed $90,000, not including the many hidden expenses that come with pediatric cancer treatment: travel to and from specialty care, extended hospital stays, medications, therapies, childcare for siblings, meals away from home, and lost income.

Hope has been unable to work since the beginning of Elijah’s diagnosis so she can care for him through hospital stays, treatments, and constant medical appointments. Zack is doing everything possible to support their family while managing the emotional weight of watching his son fight for his life. Elijah and his twin 2-year-old sisters have had to face constant disruptions to their entire life as they knew it through hospitals, separations, and fear no child should have to know. They have faced nonstop travel for specialized care, mounting medical bills, lost income, and the everyday expenses that don’t stop just because your child is fighting cancer. Despite their strength, the financial burden has become overwhelming.

Hope and Zack have shown strength beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed, and as a family, we are doing everything we can to support them, but no family can carry this kind of burden alone.

Elijah is not just a diagnosis. He is brave, joyful, loving, and full of light. Even after everything his little body has endured, he still smiles, laughs, and loves fiercely. All we want is what every family wants…the chance to watch him grow up.

I am asking from the deepest place in my heart, for help for my daughter, son in law and my grandchild. If you are able to donate, share this page, or keep Elijah and his family in your thoughts and prayers, please know that every single act of kindness makes a difference. Your support allows Hope and Zack to focus on what matters most: being present for Elijah and helping him heal.

Thank you for standing with our family during the hardest season of their lives.

With Love and Gratitude,

Shannon, Hope, Zack & Elijah (Super E)

#superE #ElijahThomasStrong #ETMRendsWithElijah