Dear friend,
Simon and I want to begin by thanking Anne for starting this fundraiser her daughter's close friend, our daughter, Cassiopeia.
The care and generosity surrounding Cassie have been overwhelming in the best possible way.
On November 4th, Simon and I took Cassie to a routine new patient appointment with our pediatrician. It was supposed to be an ordinary medical day, meet the doctor, pick up a new pair of glasses, maybe end the afternoon with ice cream.
We had a few small concerns. Cassie had been falling more often. Her eyes sometimes crossed. She walked on her tiptoes and tired easily. We assumed it was just a growth spurt. Those awkward teenage months where coordination lags behind growing limbs. Nothing alarming.
The Doctor examined her, asked questions and watched her walk. After about 15 minutes, he stepped out of the room. When he returned , he told us he wanted to run additional tests and that he had already contacted Phoenix Children's, and there would be a bed waiting for Cassie when we arrived.
There was no dramatic urgency in his voice, but something shifted all the same.
At the hospital things moved quickly. It wasn't until later that we understood a line had been crossed, that life had quietly split into a before and an after.
Cassie was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a rare and aggressive brain tumor located in one of the most critical areas of the brain. Because the cancer cells are intertwined with healthy tissue, surgery is not possible. Radiation can slow the progression, but there is no cure.
The days that followed were filled with new faces, long explanations, and information we struggled to absorb through the shock. Cassie endured machines, tests, and long days under hospital lights, while we tried to learn how to support her when we could barely process what was happening ourselves.
It was our friends, those who stepped forward and became family, who helped carry us. They steadied us so that we could remain strong and reassuring for Cassie.
This path has certainty to it, but it is not without hope, joy, or love.
Life hasn't paused, so we are learning how to hold two truths at once: life keeps moving forward, and we must slow down to cherish what is in front of us.
Cassie is expected to return to radiation treatment in March. This spring, the Make-A-Wish foundation is sending us to Dollywood, and Cassie has made me promise, contractually, that i will get soaked with her on the log ride. Simon and volunteers continue to search for clinical trials across the country that may offer additional options.
For now, Cassie is enjoying feeling strong. She laughs with friends, visits petting zoos, eats soft pretzels, fills our refrigerator with artwork and inside jokes shared with her sister, and eagerly awaits her older brother's visit from Texas.
Simon and I are transforming the living room into a space of comfort and connection, a place for family, visitors, rest and as much peace as we can create.
Even if we have never met, please know how grateful we are. Your support helps us make space for joy, memory, and love, right here, right now.
With gratitude,
Skyla and Simon