My niece Isabella was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma when she was not yet 3 years old (Oct 2007).  We've been battling this disease for 3 years now and are in desperate pursuit of a cure.

As her aunt, I can tell you that Isabella is smart, brave, strong, and sweet. She is determined to beat this disease, but this type of cancer is a terrible enemy for a 5-year-old girl to have and it seems dogged in its pursuit of her life. We need research to fund efforts for a cure and research needs money. Please consider donating to help fund the efforts to save her life.

Please forward this page on to anyone who you think would be interested in donating!

Follow Isabella's progress at www.caringbridge.com/visit/isabellasantos

She is being treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. At this hospital they specialize in treating neuroblastoma and are very cutting edge in their treatments. Isabella is now part of the 60 children in their center who are battling neuroblastoma.

Isabella had been undergoing treatment at MSKCC for 9 months and was declared cancer-free back in April of 2008. In July 2008, they discoverd a brain tumor that showed that the cancer was back. Isabella had brain surgery on July 30th and finished 18 months of treament for her brain relapse in December of 2009. 

New scans revealed on March 7th that Neuroblastoma was back for the third time.  This time Isabella's bone marrow tested positive for cancer.  We found this out 2 days before her 5th birthday.  She received high-dose chemotherapy and extraordinarily painful 3F8 treatments at Sloan Kettering to rid her body of this disease yet again. 

In August of 2010, we found out that the cancer had again invaded her bone marrow and in the form of another brain tumor. The surgeons removed the tumor, biopsied it, and found it did not contain cancer cells. This was a stroke of luck that meant we would only need to treat her bone marrow again.  

There is talk of a vaccine that is currently in clinical trials for Neuroblastoma treatment.  We pray that the research catches up quickly and that something can be done to save her little life.

We have a long road ahead of us, but we know that Isabella is a tough cookie and will beat this disease in the end. Thank you for all of your thoughts, prayers and support - we need all we can get!