Four-year-old Brenna is battling DIPG (an inoperable and untreatable brainstem tumor).
From Brenna’s Family: “Brenna was attending a birthday party earlier this year when Bonnie noticed that her daughter seemed wobbly and off balance. When the next day Brenna’s mouth began drooping, Bonnie became alarmed. After a series of tests at the hospital, Brenna was diagnosed with DIPG, a rare and aggressive brain cancer.
“The doctor said they found a mass in her brain and I thought, ‘OK, we can fight cancer,’” recalls Bonnie. But then a longer MRI revealed that the tumor was on Brenna’s brain stem, which meant it was inoperable. “I said, how long do I have, and they said eight to 12 months.”
Overnight they went from playdates and music lessons to a fatal diagnosis. There is no cure for DIPG, which stands for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, but Brenna is undergoing radiation therapy in the hopes of shrinking the tumor and prolonging life. In the meantime, Bonnie and the treatment team are exploring a possible clinical trial with a new drug.
The family has learned to appreciate every moment with Brenna while holding out hope for a miracle.”
More info:
– Fundraiser for Brenna
– Gilcrist Article
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