Sara was a happy cheerful child, who would smile at anyone who looked her way. She began to communicate to her mother Susan, that her head hurt, the pain came more and more, and Sara was growing far faster than any other child her age. Susan took Sara to specialist after specialist who kept saying it was just a growth spurt and an "Early bloomer", not at all listening to the mother who held her child at night through Screaming fits because it hurt to lay her head down. Sara would only sleep when at the point of exhaustion. Susan couldn't take anymore and did what any other mother would do, force the hands of the doctors who told her "Nothing's Wrong". After an MRI, the terrifying truth came out, Sara had Cancer on her Pituitary Gland, and because of the placement of the Tumor, there was only one way to get to the tumor, by cutting into Sara's brain, possibly leaving the girl a vegetable if not severely mentally challenged and unable to live a normal life. Susan had to make one of the hardest decisions of her life, put her child through a torturous bout of Chemo that could not guarantee her survival, or the risk the dangerous surgery that would for sure change her 6 year old daughters life, keyword, LIFE.
The surgery was successful but left Sara cognitively and physically slower than the children her age. She was starting all over again, eating, drinking, walking, learning. After several years of special programs and special education, Sara was Mainstreamed in high school with just a bit of extra help maintaining over a 3.0 GPA.
A few months ago, Sara began to have headaches again, and her menstrual cycle seemed off and she began to have trouble concentrating. Sara didn't feel and complain about pain like other children, because of the part of the brain that was damaged during the original surgery. Susan knew something was not right. The girl who never complained, was in pain. After a visit to the ER last month, and the doctors at the hospital dismissing Susan's concerns, Susan took Sara to the Neurosurgeon, finding that the Cancer has returned.
Sara is a fighter, she proved that when she was young. She WILL beat this again.
In the last 7 years I have watched a beautiful young girl, mature into a Beautiful Young Woman and am proudly known as "Aunt Jess". I am in process of planning local fundraising to help this beautiful Young Womans family alleviate any financial stress that will incur during her course of Treatment.
I will keep this blog updated as more information comes in. Right now the doctors at Children's Hospital in Detroit are working on a way to defeat this evil once more.
I only ask that you take a brief moment of your time, and keep Sara in your prayers and thoughts. I will continue to update this blog as information comes in.
Sincerely,
Aunt Jess
