This is Stella. She is the youngest of 7 and is the center of our entire family.

Our family used to live a very normal life. Filled with routine, comfort and plans for the future. But 3 years ago our entire world turned upside down in a tiny hospital room when we were told our child has cancer.  

Kristella (Stella) was diagnosed with a rare type of brain cancer called myxopapillary ependymoma in March 2021. She unfortunately relapsed in Jan 2023 leaving her with 5 inoperable tumors in her brain and 4 inoperable tumors on her spine. 
In May 2024 she was diagnosed with a secondary cancer called ebv+ diffuse large B cell lymphoma /lymphoproliferative disorder.  

🎗Stella's story 🎗
It all started with leg pains (especially at night) that we were told was growing pains for about 8months before she lost the ability to walk altogether. At that point we knew It wasn’t growing pains and a mri was finally ordered. The MRI showed a large tumor intertwined in her lower spine that was leaking fluid into her abdomen.  She had emergency surgery that removed 70-80% of the tumor. A few weeks after the surgery she started proton radiation treatment (35 rounds) in Houston Texas at MD Anderson. She was sedated daily (Mon-fri) for her treatment and she handled it so well. Stella was able to walk and run again but it left her with medical complications consisting of a  paralyzed bladder, mild scoliosis, and nerve damage to her legs that cause pain. The remaining parts of the tumor they couldn’t remove are inoperable due to the location at the very bottom of the spine. 

In Jan 2023 two new tumors located at the top of her spine were found and then in March 2023 five new tumors were found in her brain.Her cancer has spread and it was heartbreaking news.

Stella had to start radiation treatment for a second time April 2023. This round of treatment was very hard on her little body… she lost so much weight and was very sick daily with nausea. She lost all of her hair. She had to have a g tube placed so we could feed her straight to her tummy. She had really bad radiation burn that made her miserable and itchy. She was in a very frail and weak state.  She finished the radiation treatment on her brain and upper spine in May 2023 (25 rounds).  She continued the 2nd part of her treatment by doing 2 different chemos daily for a year.  

During this time we found out Stella had a major side effect from one of the appetite stimulant medications (megace) that caused her adrenal gland to stop working. So now her little body wasn’t making any cortisol which can lead to life threatening situations. So she was started on steroids to help and she is still currently on them and being treated for this condition. 
 
In May 2024 nodules in her lungs were found. After more scans and a biopsy of her lungs and lymph node Stella was diagnosed with a secondary cancer EBV+ diffuse large B cell lymphoma/ lymphoproliferative disorder. 

Stella started treatment for the lymphoma at the beginning of the summer and it has been really rough. She was in the hospital most of the summer getting blood and platelet transfusions and just too sick to go home. When we were able to come home she was secluded from friends and family as we feared she would get sick because her counts were so low and her immune system wasn’t working.  

Stella is currently at a better place in this journey. Her most recent pet scan shows the lymphoma is stable. And the most recent MRI shows all 9 tumors on Stella’s brain and spine are stable.  🙏🏻 We are so thankful the lord has his healing hand on her and we are being blessed with more time with her.

We know that the stable results can change at any moment but we are staying positive and trying not to go to a negative place filled with statistics and un happy endings. 

Stella will continue monthly treatment infusions, and scans every couple months to monitor the lymphoma and brain cancer. 

Unfortunately Stella will never be cancer free or in remission as her tumors are inoperable so what we pray for is that the tumors continue to be Stable… 

We are just taking it day by day, moment by moment, mri by mri….  

Stella is such a strong little warrior. I am inspired daily by her strength and perseverance. Her smile lights up any room and she continues to smile though all of this.

After Stella’s diagnosis Our family has forever been changed, we will never be the same. So many things were put into perspective. Spending time together as a family has become the most important thing to us. Time in general has become the most precious thing to us as we don’t know what’s to come. But for today we have her by our side, and that makes us complete and we are just so thankful for every day with her. 
- Cindy (mom)