Help Journey Fight Brain Cancer

Journey Tucker is a 17-year-old Junior at Verrado High School. She is an exceptionally talented volleyball player who made the 18 UA Spiral Volleyball Team. She was excited to travel to Tennessee on January 14, 2022, to play in the Music City Volleyball Tournament. Unfortunately, during the connecting flight of the trip, she had an unexpected seizure on the plane. Thankfully, the airplane had skilled pediatric nurses on board to help care for her during the medical emergency until she was taken to the hospital for evaluation. After being cleared from the hospital, she eventually made her connecting flight to Tennessee but spent her first few days in the hotel recovering alone. Since Journey flew with a volleyball friend, her mom had to schedule an emergency flight to take her home immediately for a complete medical workup.

On January 25th, Journey had an MRI. Her family and teammates anxiously awaited her results and clearance to return to the court. On January 30th, before their home tournament, the team received some devastating news about Journey’s health. She was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma, a rare brain tumor that is slow-growing and affects the Central Nervous System. Journey is scheduled to have surgery in March. Her surgical team at Phoenix Children’s Hospital is very optimistic they will successfully remove as much of the tumor as possible. However, Journey may have to undergo chemotherapy and radiation to destroy or shrink any remaining cancer cells.

Since Journey’s diagnosis with this critical illness, she has been unable to attend school, practice, or participate in her club volleyball activities/ tournaments due to frequent headaches and dizziness. Her mother has had to reduce her full-time hours to support and care for her daughter, in addition to multiple emergency room visits, and is struggling to make ends meet.

At this time, the Spiral Volleyball Team is asking for prayers and financial support for their teammate. This money will assist with medical co-pays, therapy, lodging, and food expenses during Journey’s pre-and post-operation recovery in and out of the hospital. Let’s come together as a community to help pray for God’s healing and recovery.

We look forward to providing you with an update after Journey's brain surgery in March.

Any help and support you can share with the family is much appreciated.

Thank you,

Spiral 18 UA Team