Malia's Fight: A Race Against Time

My heart aches as I share my daughter Malia's story. I'm Julie, her mother, and I've watched my vibrant, beautiful girl fight a relentless battle for over a decade.

It began in 2012, at the tender age of 21, with a terrifying seizure. That night shattered our world, revealing a high-grade anaplastic astrocytoma, an incurable brain cancer. Just weeks before her wedding, Malia underwent her first craniotomy, followed by gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. The neurosurgeon gave her five years.

But our fierce, loving Malia, defied those odds. She built a beautiful life, filled with the joy of marrying the love of her life and the gift of motherhood, blessing us with two precious grandchildren, now eight and two. For twelve years, we breathed easier with clear MRIs and hopeful consultations, daring to believe we had won.

Then, early in 2024, the cancer returned. Another surgery, another devastating blow. A medical trial offered a glimmer of hope, but her body rebelled, the treatment abruptly halted, leaving her weakened and vulnerable.

The latest MRI revealed that the cancer had spread to the left side of her brain, inoperable and aggressive. Three months of chemotherapy offered no reprieve, only the stark reality of its relentless progression.

Facing a new, daunting challenge, our oncologist has told us about Vorasidenib, a targeted treatment that offers a precious chance, at extending Malia's life. It's a lifeline, but one that comes at a staggering cost. While we're grateful for a community subsidy covering five months of the drug, we are left with a $28,000 gap to cover.

To bridge this gap, Malia and her family will have to use the money they'd saved for their house renovations. Malia’s final wish, to have a beautiful home for her children to grow up in, is now on the line.

We know this treatment may only grant her a few more months, a year at most. But those months are immeasurable. Especially for her two-year-old, a little one who needs the chance to create lasting memories of her mother. Malia’s cognitive function is declining, and time is slipping through our fingers.

When asked what she desires most, Malia's answer is simple: "I'd like the house to be finished so the kids have a nice home to grow up in"

We are reaching out to you, our community, our friends, and strangers with kind hearts. We are asking for your help. Your generosity can give Malia the chance to spend more precious time with her children, to create those irreplaceable memories. It can help her achieve her final wish, to provide a loving home for her family. And it can ease the financial burden that threatens to overwhelm them.

Please, open your hearts and help us give Malia the gift of realising her dream. Every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference. Please help us give Malia the chance to fight, to love, and to leave a lasting legacy for her children. Please donate to our GoFundMe page and share Malia's story. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.