#KylieStrong

This October 20, 2023, Nichole (Niki) Ambro took her daughter Kylie to the doctors for them to determine why she was consistently having terrible headaches, dizzy spells and nausea which was making her very sick. They told Niki that an MRI was needed to fully assess the issue, but would take 4-8 weeks for insurance approval. Fast forward three days: Kylie’s symptoms got much worse, so Niki decided waiting wasn’t an option and rushed her to the ER at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. After the initial exam, they ordered the MRI which showed a very large brain tumor near the brain stem.

She was rushed back to the OR to have an external Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) drain placed, which is used to drain the excess CSF that had built up due to the tumor blocking the normal pathway.

Kylie was then immediately scheduled for transport to Seattle Children's Hospital (SCH). Unfortunately, she had complications from the initial surgery, resulting in a blood clot which subsequently caused a seizure and she was unable to be transported until the following day. On Thursday, October 26th Kylie underwent surgery at SCH where they were able to remove approximately 80% of the tumor. They could not continue with full removal as the tumor is intertwined with the brain stem with no clean margins, making it extremely unsafe. The surgeon stated that it looks to be a very aggressive tumor, which may require additional treatments including chemotherapy and/or radiation. She will also need extended physical therapy/occupational therapy to help her regain full function of her left side.

To help with unforeseen expenses, we are trying to raise money to ensure Kylie and her family still have a home to return to when they finally leave the Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) sometime in the future. Unfortunately, we just aren’t sure when that will happen.

These donations will help to ensure that Kylie’s transition back home and into her normal daily life will go as smoothly and stress-free as humanly possible. She will still have an uphill battle, even after leaving SCH, as life as she knows it may now be defined differently. Since we are unaware of what Kylie’s long-term treatment plan will be, we do not know how long it will take for her to be completely cured. We want to ensure that her healing process can continue at home very soon.

Thank you for any donations you can help with, and thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers. Please keep them coming, Kylie loves and needs them.