Bailey was six years old when her parents Ashley and Jeremy noticed she was having tremors on one side of her body. Upon taking her to the doctor, Bailey was sent to the ER for an MRI. The results revealed a large inoperable mass on her brain in the hypothalamus, and Bailey was sent straight to the ICU. The next day, she was scheduled for a biopsy.

After getting opinions from a few different doctors, Bailey was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor called juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA). JPA develops from certain star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes which form the tissue that surrounds and protects other nerve cells found in the brain and spinal cord. Shortly after the diagnosis, Bailey received a chemo port and began treatment twice a week. She also had weekly bloodwork and MRI scans every three months.

“Chemo was very rough for Bailey,” her parents shared. She got sick, lost a lot of weight and had to stay in the hospital multiple times when her blood count plummeted and her fever spiked.

Despite the hardships, Bailey rang the bell June 2018 and her tumor is now in stable condition. She still has MRI scans every few months to check on her tumor, as well as hearing and vision test every three months due to the tumor location and chemo side effects.

Every child who has been diagnosed with childhood cancer inspires us to Rally On to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures. Please join us in the fight against childhood cancer by making a donation or setting up your own Rally fundraiser today.