Isla Wren Johnston Medical Costs

On Monday 27th February, our dear friends Finn and Kat received the devastating news that their seven-year-old daughter, Isla Wren has been diagnosed with a Grade 4 Pineoblastoma, an aggressive brain tumour that requires immediate attention.

The medical team at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville are doing everything they can to tackle this tumour. Isla had surgery on March 3rd to remove as much of the cancer as possible. This was only 75% successful. In an effort to give her every possible chance, Kat and Finn made the tough decision for Isla to have another surgery less than a week later. Including the original biopsy, Isla had 3 brain surgerys in under 2 weeks. This surgery was more successful and specialists are confident over 95% of the tumour has been removed.

Isla is now recovering at home and undergoing physical therapy before starting an intense course of chemo and radiotherapy.

While Finn and Kat have good insurance, the medical expenses associated with this condition are expected to be tens of thousands of pounds. Additionally, fuel, parking, and time off work will impact their finances greatly.

We want to help relieve this financial burden for the family during this difficult time. Finn and Kat have impacted the lives of so many, both here in the UK and in the US, and we want to support them in any way possible.

Please donate to help cover Isla's medical expenses and support Finn and Kat through this heartbreaking journey. Your donation will make a significant impact on their lives and allow them to focus on Isla's treatment without worrying about the financial burden.

For many of us, we can’t imagine living through this devastating diagnosis and Finn and Kat have reluctantly accepted help.

It’s going to be a long road for Isla and the family, with the financial burden being constant throughout.

If you can’t afford to give right now, we ask that you spend time in prayer for the family. If you’re unsure what to pray, please use these six areas to pray over:

1) Pray for a miracle. Pray for the hands of doctors working with Isla. Pray that God moves in her body, mind and spirit and that she will go on to live a long, joyful and healthy life free from this awful disease.

2) Kat and Finn will be speaking to the lead Oncologist at Vanderbilt, Dr Esbenshade, soon. Pray for clarity, wisdom and a comforting result from that conversation.

3) With this tumour, there is a risk of spread to the spinal cord. Isla will have an MRI to confirm whether this has happened. Please pray that the growth has not spread.

4) Pray that the Lord would give Kat and Finn the right words, the right people, the right moments to communicate well with Isla. They have been grateful for Child Life Therapists who specialize in this area, so will continue to lean on them for support in this.

5) Pray for Isla’s younger brother Reuben. What a joyful, fun and loving boy he is. Pray that he would know how loved he is, for his emotional and mental well-being. Would God give Kat and Finn wisdom on how to support him and communicate well with him.

6) Pray for their family and friends across the globe. They are in the US, many of their closest family members are currently in the UK - Nonna and Pops, Ren and Chlo, Lew, Grace, Gabriel and Rafael to name but a few. Pray that the Lord would fill them by his spirit, bring peace and comfort to all who know Isla and are hurting at this news.