Delilah's Defenders
Hello family, friends, and to all others this message may reach! Delilah, my 14 month old niece, has been sick for the the past month and we could use your prayers and financial support!
Her pediatrician initially diagnosed her with strep throat and prescribed antibotics which failed to improve her health. As her condition worsened and she refused to eat or drink the doctors advised her parents, Joseph and Andie, that they should keep her in the ER overnight.
The next morning, December 6th, the doctors decided to order an MRI and discovered a tumor the size of an orange near her brainstem and spine. The tumor was putting pressure on her brain which they decided to surgically remove right away. After a 9 1/2 hour surgery, only 80% of the mass was removed due to it being attached to vital nerves which may have caused lifelong impairment to her hearing, vision, or ability to walk.
The mass was biopsied and was discovered to be cancerous. Her official diagnosis is Anaplastic Ependymoma (https://www.stjude.org/disease/ependymoma.html), which is a brain and spinal cancer affecting about 200 children a year in the United States.
The treatment will require several months of radiation, chemotherapy, and/or experimental treatments at a children's cancer center (10-16 hours from home depending on chosen location) once she recovers from the surgery in a few weeks. She is also going to need intensive therapy to rebuild the basic motor skills she had before surgery (learn to sit on her own, eat, and stand.)
As many of us know treating cancer can be a very lengthy and expensive process which can be very taxing on such a young family. While insurance will cover some of the treatment costs, Delilah and her parents, will need some help to cover additional medical expenses, travel, and potential lost hours from work while they get their little girl back to good health.
Any donations or advice you can provide will be greatly appreciated in our time of need. Please keep Delilah and her family in your hearts and prayers and thank you for your support! 