Living between the scans

Hi My name is Jeanne and I am fundraising for my niece Emily Kouzios.

They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But what do you do when life gives you an extremely rare, highly aggressive, and malignant brain tumor? You name it and then you wage war, of course.

Emily is turning 22 years old, preparing to graduate from college and start the next chapter. But plot twist. This is not the chapter she imagined but we are grateful that she has the opportunity to write it.

On 12/11, Emily lost consciousness at her friend’s graduation ceremony. Her family was grateful that she was not alone at her apartment studying for finals scheduled for the next day. She was taken to the ER and underwent a number of tests and imaging which revealed a brain bleed so significant she experienced a midline shift. She was then transferred to Springfield Memorial Hospital where she underwent an emergency craniotomy to remove a mass of blood vessels, drain the blood, and reduce the pressure on her brain. Several worrisome days followed. First, waiting to learn if she’d wake. Then if she’d breathe over the ventilator. Then if she’d wake and breathe with her memories, speech, and personality intact. She did. For that we are eternally thankful. But the pathology results were not as good. The original report indicated Emily had a Grade 4 glioblastoma. The worst of the worst kind of brain cancers. So, her parents started the search for the best cancer centers with the team, technology, and science to save her. Emily is now at Northwestern in Chicago. The science is cutting edge and new research is underway right now.

This chapter also comes with unexpected and extraordinary expenses. And she can’t yet return to her “normal” life of study then work. Please send your prayers, warm vibes, well wishes, and if you can help her cover some costs that would be appreciated too.

There is no cure… yet. But Emily has so much left to do… so she will continue therapy until a cure is found.

*We will continue to update this page as Emily’s story unfolds.