Ariana's Fight

Fundraiser for Ariana (Squeaky) Fight

First, our family is asking you to Pray for our sweet Ariana and all her family members during this extremely difficult battle that has just begun. There is no easy way to share this information with anyone. So, I’m just going to get the TUFF STUFF out of the way right off the bat. I realize this is a very long letter. However, I’ve included as much information as possible to help answer questions you might have upfront.

Ariana (Squeaky) was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of brain tumors (Malignant Mixed Germ Cell with Yolk Sac Tumors). Meaning these types of cancerous tumors consist of more than two types of cancerous cells and contain cancerous yolk sac tumors. These types of tumors account for less than 5% of all brain tumors in children.

Many of you know Ariana and how amazing and loving she is. She has always been a ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air. Her positive and joyful outlook on life is truly an inspiration to everyone she encounters. At just 10yrs old, she starts every day by saying, “Today is going to be a great day.” Her passion for nature, dance, music, art, and laughter runs through her veins. The strong-willed truly have nothing on Ariana. She holds God above all others, and her prayers are always for others, never for herself. Even now, after receiving her diagnosis.

Finding out you have cancer is a lot for anyone to endure, but Ariana is a warrior at heart. Her strong will and fighter mentality have just begun to be tested in this battle to overcome this disease. This is a war against her body, time, and brain tumors. Which is a whole hell of a lot, but in true Ariana fashion, she has maintained the “I just have to Suck it up, buttercup” motto built with her Papa (Jon). As surprising and harsh as that may sound, this has always been a family mantra to stay strong, never quit, and endure all challenges, and has always been from a place of love and encouragement. From her first skinned-up knee to learning to ride her bike, to those darn backbends in gymnastics, and to administering her first injection on her own, “Suck it up, buttercup” have been the words to keep her motivated throughout this process. In other words, when something is too hard, and you’re ready to give up or quit, it is ALWAYS “Suck it up, buttercup!”. Stay strong, don’t give up, you got this!

Ariana’s current treatment plan is very aggressive. Due to type of aggressive tumors, Ariana’s Chemo treatments require 3 different types of Chemo medications. Ariana received her first round of Chemo treatments November 1, 2022. Her Chemo treatments are 3 hours, long multiple times a week for a cycle of 6mos. The Chemo medications being used are very aggressive, causing a variety of other complications within her body, requiring Ariana to be monitored very closely. Radiation treatment will begin once it is determined if the cancer is solely in her brain or if it has spread throughout her body.

Here is what we know so far about each tumor.

The 1st tumor This tumor is located on the Occipital (visual) portion of her brain. This tumor’s size and aggressiveness have caused a rapid deterioration in Ariana’s eyesight. Because it is compressing the visual portion of her brain, it also causes severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, loss of balance, etc. Currently, Ariana has lost vision in her left eye and has limited vision in her right eye, and no peripheral vision. There is no way to correct the vision that has already been lost. Now it’s a matter of trying to save her remaining vision. The chemo/radiation treatments that must be used can also harm the healthy brain cells, nerves, and tissues the tumor is connected to. Thus, resulting in additional complications.

The 2nd tumor This tumor is located on the pituitary portion of the brain. The pituitary portion of the brain has 2 parts (left & right) & is called the “Bodies Central Command Center”, which controls many of our body’s major functions. This tumor has destroyed the pituitary portion of Ariana’s brain, impacting most of the systems our bodies require to function properly. This requires Ariana to be on multiple medications, therapies, and treatments throughout her life since many of her body's systems will no longer be able to function normally on their own. This causes her to become weak, tired, loss of appetite, constant thirst, joint pain, dizziness, and the list goes on and on. Various medications are being used to try to level out her body's system. One of the complications created is Diabetes Insipidus, or “Water Diabetes,” as commonly called, impacting her body’s ability to regulate the amount of water it stores and releases through her kidneys and bladder.

Currently, the focus is to get her body to remain strong during and after her chemo/radiation treatments without causing any further damage to her body or brain and limiting the additional side effects.

As you can imagine, this is not only a devastating diagnosis for Ariana and her family to receive but also a financial hardship. Krysta is a single mother to Ariana and her brother Albert (Alex). The Chemo/Radiation, medications, treatments, monitoring, etc., make it impossible for Krysta to work. Krysta must be there for Ariana’s medical needs and still be a mommy to Alex.

Various social media platforms have been created to provide updates regarding Ariana's care and treatment.

*You can also show your support by tagging any inspirational posts using #teamsqueakya