The picture posted here is a photo of Sophia a few months before diagnosis. It was a few months before the innocence of youth was robbed by a malignant brain tumor. Her sweet laughters of joy were quickly overshadowed by cries of agonizing head pain in May of 2007. Her world was forever changed when an ER doctor walked into the room and stated that they found something in a CT scan of her brain. Sophia was diagnosed with anaplastic medulloblastoma, a very aggressive brain cancer. 

When most 2 1/2 year olds are discovering an exciting world, Sophia instead was discovering the terrifying world of cancer. The world of brain cancer included multiple brain surgeries, long hospitalizations, vomiting, hair loss, high fevers, pain, loss of balance, loss of high pitched hearing, weakness, loss of appetite, tubes sticking out of the chest and belly, and  low blood counts. High dose chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, and radiation treatments have helped to keep her alive. Even after all of those aggressive treatments, a part of the tumor has refused to go away.

Sophia continues to bravely fight her brain cancer. Currently, she is on a low dose metronomic chemotherapy regimen. Every day we worry about the cancer growing resistant to these drugs and exploding in size again. We wonder what what drugs are left to try, since she's already received some of the most aggressive treatments out there for pediatric brain tumors. There are many other families living with this same fear. We hope that there will be a breakthrough that will save the lives of our children. Research for pediatric cancer is frightfully underfunded. It costs a lot of money to research new treatment possibilities. That is why supporting organizations like the Brain Tumor Foundation for Children is so important.

Please help us raise money to fight brain tumors. Wayne, Sophia, Fiona, and I will be participating in Williams Run to help raise money to find a cure. The Brain Tumor Foundation for Children will be donating all of the proceeds from the run to brain tumor research. This research is vital to finding a cure so that children can stop suffering from brain tumors. 

We know that the economic times are tough right now, but we hope that you can spare a little to help in this important cause. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity. Together, we can stop brain tumors from causing the death and suffering of children.