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Brain Tumor Awareness Month: Three Heroes Who are Still Fighting

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  • Tamiyah was only a year old when she received her diagnosis for type II neurofibromatosis
    Tamiyah was only a year old when she received her diagnosis for type II neurofibromatosis
  • Ben has been fighting a pilomyxoid astrocytoma for nine years.
    Ben has been fighting a pilomyxoid astrocytoma for nine years.
  • In 2019, Aubriana was diagnosed with medulloblastoma
    In 2019, Aubriana was diagnosed with medulloblastoma

By: Erin Weller

This May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month, but every month there are children fighting brain tumor.

At Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), we believe small acts can add up to big change – that’s why there is no minimum to join the One Cup Club. The One Cup at a Time Club is ALSF’s community of monthly donors who give what they can each month to help cure childhood cancer. Right now, countless kids are battling not only cancer, but the long-term side effects of their treatment. 

Here are three kids that your funds can fight for year-round:

1.    Tamiyah
At 3 years old, Tamiyah is a fighter who has lived most of her life battling cancer. In 2018, Tamiyah was only a year old when she received her diagnosis for type II neurofibromatosis – a predisposition syndrome which caused two tumors to form on both of her optic nerves. She began a long journey of traveling for treatment until 2020. Although her tumors remain stable, they are still present, so Tamiyah receives routine scans to monitor her condition. Still, Tamiyah’s family is grateful that now she can enjoy all the small joys of her young life


2.    Ben
Ben has been fighting a pilomyxoid astrocytoma for nine years. When frontline chemotherapy failed, Ben enrolled in a clinical trial at Texas Children’s Hospital – an ALSF Center of Excellence Institution. The Phase II study used a drug that acts specifically against a molecular target in his brain tumor. Now, Ben is stable and back in school with hope for a future without cancer.

3.    Aubriana
In 2019, Aubriana was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. She underwent surgery to remove the tumor but developed left-side paralysis. She bravely faced the treatment ahead and continues to receive MRIs to ensure there is no recurrence. Although she is happy to be celebrating clear scans, Aubriana’s growth has been stunted, and she’s had re-learn how to sit, stand and walk. She still struggles with left side weakness and facial paralysis, and soon, she will need to start growth hormones.

For these heroes, every month is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. 
Research creates new avenues for cures with less toxic side effects. When you join the One Cup Club, your monthly donations will sustain researchers like Dr. David Daniels who are working tirelessly to make drugs more effective for targeted treatments in the brain.

If 100 people give just $25 a month, together we’ll fund an extra 50 days of research this year. That’s research that could lead to the next big breakthrough. To help kids like Tamiyah, Ben, and Aubriana, join The One Cup Club and see how your donation grows. 
 

Join the One Cup Club.