Hello, my name is Amanda, and I’m writing on behalf of my sister Andrea, a single mother of four beautiful daughters—Kyla (13), Avarie (8), Julia (4), and Violet (2). I want to share a difficult journey that my family is currently facing in hopes of raising awareness and support for my sweet niece Violet.

On the evening of March 18th, Andrea noticed something unusual in Violet’s right eye. It appeared to have a silver-like reflection in the pupil. Concerned, Andrea immediately scheduled an appointment with an optometrist, and was able to see one on March 20th. After the exam, the doctor advised Andrea to take Violet to the MUSC Children’s Hospital emergency room in Charleston, SC, as soon as possible, they stated she was completely blind in that eye and possible emergency surgery to remove the cataract may need to take place.

On March 21st, they made the trip to Charleston, where doctors conducted an eye exam, ultrasound, and MRI. Sadly, we received devastating news: Violet was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer. Her eye needed to be removed immediately, and Violet underwent surgery on March 23rd.

The eye was sent for pathology testing to determine how aggressive the cancer was and if it had spread to her optic nerve. They were released from the hospital on March 24th, anxiously awaiting the results. On April 2nd, we received a call with some relief—though the cancerous tumor was successfully removed along with the eye, there are two spots forming in her optic nerve. The tumor had completely taken over her right eyeball, and it was a Group E tumor, the most aggressive stage. The MRI results also found a cyst on her pineal gland and will need to be monitored for the next 5 years. Violet will need chemotherapy over the next six months to combat the cancer and prevent further spread.

This will require frequent trips to MUSC for her treatments. Every 4 weeks, Andrea and Violet will need to travel an hour and a half to the hospital for two days of chemotherapy, and there will be weekly clinic visits in between. She will also be fitted for a prosthetic eye within the next few months. As you can imagine, chemotherapy weakens the immune system, so Violet cannot attend daycare or be exposed to germs. Additionally, Andrea has amazing support from her job to keep her income. However, she’ll be away from her other three children frequently, which is taking a mental, physical, and financial toll on their entire family.

This journey is incredibly difficult for my sister and her children, and it has placed a significant strain on their resources. We are reaching out for support to help alleviate some of the financial burdens during this challenging time. Any donation, big or small, will make a world of difference in helping Andrea focus on caring for Violet and her other children.

Thank you so much for your generosity and support. It means the world to our family.

With Gratitude,

Violets Family