Help Alissa Conquer ATRT (Brain Cancer)

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind-Hearted Supporters

I reach out to you today with a heavy heart but also with an unwavering spirit of hope. In January 2023, a friend's daughter, Alissa, was diagnosed with a very rare type of brain cancer, Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT), at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin after suffering seizures and paralysis on the left side of her body.

Alissa has been a brave and resilient one-year-old girl that has gone through 2 brain surgeries, 4 rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, 2 bone marrow transplants and many other procedures. She has been suffering the consequences of the chemotherapy: she is only able to feed through a tube, she has survived a supraventricular tachycardia after her second round of chemotherapy and she is currently recovering from a viral infection that suppressed her bone marrow. Her strength and desire to live motivated me to offer support to her family in this time of immense challenge.

ATRT is an extremely rare and aggressive cancer that primarily affects young children. The treatment journey for ATRT is complex and often involves a combination of surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and other specialized therapies.

Alissa has been doing her treatment in Houston at Texas Children’s Hospital since February. It's very hard for me or her family to come up with a goal for this GoFundMe because each week is unique. As an example, this week Alissa needed IV fluids that cost $500.00 per week, also a 4th medicine for nausea that costs $50.00 per day.

Her parents are immigrants from Brazil and Angola and they are Alissa’s sole caregivers. Alissa's father was laid off from his company in May. They need financial support for accommodations for her family, ongoing medical expenses, post-treatment care, and the necessary lifestyle adjustments required during this challenging time.

I firmly believe that no family should face the overwhelming burden of medical expenses alone. Together, we can make a meaningful impact and give them the support they desperately need.

Please consider making a contribution, no matter how small, to help Alissa fight this battle. Your love, prayers, and financial assistance will not only provide comfort and relief to Alissa's family but will also serve as a powerful testament to the strength and unity of our community.

Alissa and her family sincerely thank you in advance for your generosity and for being a part of her journey to triumph over ATRT.