Ellie

Ellie was diagnosed at four months old with a brain tumor; desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma/astrocytoma to be exact. She suffered from seizures, neuropathy, hearing loss, lost her ability to walk, had hydrocephalus, and a few developmental delays. At eight months old she started chemotherapy, making it through seven rounds before seeing more tumor growth. She went on to have 17 surgeries, 14 of those were brain surgeries.

 Ellie's tumor mutated to glioblastoma multiform stage four; a very fast growing, highly malignant brain tumor. She completed 42 days of radiation, and more chemotherapy, totaling 28 rounds, in her four short years of life. In November of 2016, Ellie’s tumor grew back, and after doing everything we could, she passed away at home surrounded by her family, on January 15, 2017.

 This little girl was the light of our life, our reason for being, and without her we are broken, still walking but spending most days on our knees. Our lives will never be the same, but one thing is for sure, we will spend the rest of our lives celebrating this little firecracker, or little dragonfly, and we will make it our life goal to find a cure for the monster that took our sweet baby girl. No parent should have to bury their child, together we can make sure no more mommies say goodbye, too soon.