Here is her story: Ember's Journey started in June of 2024. My wife and I had noticed her right eye drifting the opposite way of her adjacent eye, so we decided to bring her to a local ophthalmologist in Glen Burnie. During the visit, the doctor noticed some shaking in her eye (nystagmus) as well. He stated this is somewhat common in young children and usually subsides as they age. As a precaution, he suggested that we go to the Children's National Hospital in Washington DC for a sedated MRI. After Ember received her MRI, the triage staff would not let us leave as they had originally stated. My wife and became concerned and quite impatient. The neurologists came into our waiting room and confirmed that they found a mass in our daughter's brain. Needless to say, my wife and I were utterly distraught and beside ourselves. Commence a million questions and perpetual tears my wife and I were crying. We were told she needed immediate brain surgery to diagnose the tumor and get a better understanding of what we were up against. After her craniotomy, the pathologists were concluding their biopsy. They conveyed to us it was an Optic pathway Giloma (tumor in-between her optic nerves). Due to the location of the tumor, surgery and removal were out of the question due to the risk of further vision loss. The tumor is treatable by way of chemotherapy. For her to receive the chemo, she had an intravenous port implanted in her chest for ongoing medicine. My daughter's treatment plan was slotted for 15 months (depending on her blood counts). We are still currently going to treatment every week with our daughter. The tumor is also hindering her vision, we are consistently going to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to see her Ophthalmologist who specializes in pathway gliomas. My family and I have been through so much, after losing both my parents and grandmother within the past three years, this is the last thing we expected to occur. I can't explain the pain that my wife and I feel every day, not being in control of our situation...but I know God has her in his hands and he will see her through this. Due to her extreme side effects from the Avastin and chemotherapy alongside her interminable doctor appointments, I have missed a substantial amount of work as well as an immense amount of doctor and hospital bills. My family and I would appreciate any assistance that can be offered. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, she "should" be finished with her treatment by the beginning of October. Thank you all for your support and prayers amidst these trials and tribulations. Ember is so strong and resilient, by the grace of god...she WILL get through this.
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