Katie's Journey

It was the end of 2016 when Katie complained of headaches.  She had been in and out of the hospital, but after several tests, doctors could not yet determine what kind of disease she had based on her symptoms.  They went to different doctors only to be dismissed that it was only a gastrointestinal issue.

For any parent who has a sick child whose disease has yet to be revealed, they will not envision the worst at first. But for Katie’s parents, it was different.  Her father, Moses, already suspected that Katie might have a brain cancer.  For a former Marine and Air Force Member who served in the military hospitals as a medical care worker for 22 years, his experiences already gave him an inkling about his daughter’s illness.

As months passed by, Katie started to show other symptoms such as stomachaches and problems with her gait.  When she started having episodes of vomiting with blood in it, her father demanded for a CT scan.  Finally, after the long wait, their suspicion was finally confirmed.

It was revealed that Katie has a brain cancer called Medulloblastoma.  This is a type of brain cancer which usually starts to grow in the back part of the brain.  It also has the tendency to spread out on other areas of the brain and spinal cord.  Other symptoms of Medulloblastoma includes severe vomiting, tiredness, walking difficulty, and balance problems.

Shaken by the news, the family decided to perform the surgery on Katie right away to remove the tumor at a local hospital.  Moses and his wife Kimberly did not stop looking for the best places where their daughter can continue doing the next phase of treatments.  After checking on potential hospitals, the family found their way to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital due to its outstanding survivability rate.  Katie, now 11, is starting to gain her life back. After sessions of proton therapy and chemotherapy, her latest scans were clear now.  According to her parents, she is now healthy and cancer-free.  

The little girl finally went home last February but still visits St. Jude for regular checkups and monitoring.  After all the family had been through, they are just grateful for all the support they received. 

Funds raised through campaigns like our Inspire International Childhood Cancer Campaign have helped to raise needed funds to help with new medical breakthroughs that were critical to helping Katie and other young patients.

Presently, Katie is doing physical therapy and speech therapy because her speaking capability was behind her age due to the possible effect of having cancer.  Her parents also enrolled her to summer school to catch up.  This little girl’s life journey may have had a tough start, but it’s surely not the end.  It’s just a new beginning.  Her story will remain as an inspiration for other people to keep on going despite life’s challenges.