Meet our young warriors

Meet Elena – Brain Tumor Warrior

“The NCCS’s financial assistance is very helpful to parents like us,” Abigail said. “Thank you again for helping us!”

Elena’s family will never forget the day that left them heartbroken and devastated. It was the day their daughter, “Ellie”, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. Her mom, Abigail, sensed something wasn’t quite right when her typical happy two-year-old started limping and not running around as much as she used to.

They visited an orthopedic surgeon but when x-rays showed nothing wrong structurally, they were quickly referred to a neurologist. Their worst nightmare became a reality when doctors found a tumor that was pushing on her brain and affecting her motor skills. “That is the day this rollercoaster began,” said Abigail. The doctors were stunned that Ellie’s only symptom was limping due to the tumor’s large size. She was rushed into the operating room, undergoing an eight hour brain surgery.

Doctors were able to remove the entire tumor but the surgery left Elena with weakness on her right side. She started chemotherapy treatments immediately after the surgery at home in Portland, Oregon, followed by six weeks of radiation at a specialized treatment center in Seattle. Abigail left her job to care for her daughter. And after much consideration and miles on the road (treatment was a three-hour drive each way from their home), the family decided to relocate to Seattle for the duration of Elena’s treatment.

The NCCS was there to help Elena, her mother and father and 12 year-old brother when times grew difficult. Expenses quickly mounted. In addition to financial support for travel expenses and emergency assistance for other bills, Elena’s parents found the organization’s parent guide “The Other Side of the Mountain” to be a great resource.

“The NCCS’s financial assistance is very helpful to parents like us,” Abigail said. “Thank you again for helping us!”