Hi everyone, my name is Megan.
As many of you know, my daughter Sopheyah was diagnosed last year with a paraganglioma tumor that affected her neck, brain, skull, and ear. She underwent a 17-hour surgery where doctors were able to remove most of it. Unfortunately, they had to leave a small portion behind due to the high risk of stroke from being under anesthesia for so long. At that time, the remaining tumor was small enough that radiation wasn’t required, and we were hopeful we could just move forward.
For a while, Sophie was doing so well. But a few weeks ago, she began experiencing severe facial twitching. On Friday, September 26th, an MRI revealed that the remaining portion of her tumor has significantly grown. It is located in her neck/part of her skull and continues to progress. Her team of surgeons called me tonight (9/30/25) and said they are needing to see us back on October 8th with surgery being on October 15th.
As her mom, my heart is shattered. Sopheyah is only in 8th grade at Harrisburg South Middle School. She was looking forward to a hospital-free year to spend time with her amazing friends and focus on school she loves. To watch her face another fight like this is something no child—or parent—should ever have to go through.
Many have asked how they can help, and after much thought, I’ve decided to start this GoFundMe. As a single mom to six kids, life is already a balancing act. Now with this unexpected turn, things are even harder. While we are away for her treatment, my bills will not stop, and unfortunately I will not be paid while I’m gone. The cost of traveling to Rochester is also a heavy burden. Every donation will go directly toward bills, travel, and helping us keep things stable for Sophie and the rest of my kids during this time.
If you’re not able to give financially, another way to support Sophie is through love, prayer and encouragement. She would absolutely cherish receiving cards to lift her spirits. If you’d like to send one please inbox me for the address
For anyone who would rather give directly, my Venmo is: @Megan-Fry-106
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for any help, prayers, and love you send our way. Our family is so deeply grateful.
October 8th:
Update on Sopheyah
We met with Sopheyah’s team today, and the news was hard to hear. They explained that her tumor is very aggressive and showing “weird behavior,” which makes them believe it is no longer benign.
Tomorrow, Sopheyah will have a Gallium Dotatate PET/CT scan and blood work. On Monday, she will undergo an Interventional Radiology Vascular Procedure to cut off blood flow to the tumor. During this procedure, they will have to clip one of her carotid arteries.
The doctors also shared that she will not regain any nerves in her face or throat, meaning her voice will sound different, and she will need a feeding tube from that point forward.
Surgery is scheduled for Wednesday and is expected to last more than 18 hours. After surgery, we’ll remain in the hospital, and then she’ll begin at least five weeks of radiation treatments—Monday through Friday.
The oncologist was so kind and explained everything in a way Sophie could understand. Still, she’s devastated about losing parts of her hair from the surgery and radiation. She’s so strong, but no child should ever have to face something like this.
As her mom, this is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through. I don’t know how long I’ll be away from my other five kids, and being torn between them while going unpaid from work is taking a huge toll. My only focus is keeping Sopheyah healthy, keeping our car so we can get to Mayo Clinic whenever needed, and keeping a home for my other children.
We truly need help now more than ever. Every donation, every share, and every prayer makes a difference. From the bottom of my heart—thank you for lifting us up and walking beside us through this.