Mira for daughter’s brain tumor healing journey

We are adding an urgent update here to inform our family, friends and community about hard news for Rhayne and her family. The tumor is growing, a cyst has also returned and Rhayne is facing another brain surgery on January 30, 2024. She will be flying with Hope Air this Saturday with her Mom Mira. We are sharing this story broadly and encourage you to do the same, in order to gain the most support we can for this family.

The information below is the first part of this story that started in the summer of 2023.

The most miraculous part of this whole (brain tumor) story is that the weekend of August 4th, 2023, Mira and her daughters were visiting Mira’s sister in Calgary Alberta - talk about the right place at the right time!

After weeks of on again, off again illness, and other strange symptoms with no answers as to why, oldest daughter Rhayne was again not eating and very, very sick. She was having an episode and complained of her entire body feeling numb. What was really scary was that she was even having difficulty speaking. Mira had enough. She couldn’t bear to see 10 yr old Rhayne so sick and scared any longer.

She took her to the Calgary Children’s Hospital, knowing she would refuse to leave that day without an explanation for her daughters physical illness and even uncharacteristic emotional swings. It was here where Mira got the news that no parent wants to hear.

A Tumor on Rhayne’s brainstem, later to be labelled as Pilocytic Astrocytoma

The relief with this news was that it finally explained all of the physical illness that Rhayne had been having the past several weeks and the other, smaller symptoms that had been showing for several months, if not longer - symptoms that repeated trips to the family doctor, emergency department and Pediatrician had been unable to diagnose. Finally, they had an answer! But it was the scariest and worst answer they could imagine.

Within one hour of seeing the doctor at Calgary Children’s Hospital, a CT scan was ordered and results were almost immediate. She had a tumor on her brain stem, and required urgent surgery 36 hours later after they reduced some of the swelling in her brain. The next 36 hrs was a stress filled whirlwind with a mix of emotions - relief of finally having answers, fear for the outcome of the delicate surgery required, and gratitude for the medical staff in the hospital. Mira barely slept. She never left Rhaynes side and she prayed for her daughters recovery.

Rhayne spent almost 2 weeks in the Calgary Children’s Hospital after surgery with her mom and family by her side, working with many specialists in the Neurosurgical team. Today she is recovering at home, gets tired quickly as her body is healing and will require future scans and appointments which may also involve chemo or radiation (unknown at this time). They were able to remove approximately 90% of the tumor.

Mira is a professional interior/exterior painter in Vernon BC. As a single mom, this allows some flexibility to be available for both of her daughters, however, Rhaynes previous episodes of illness where Mira was not able to work for a good part of July and August have already left the budget stretched thin.

At this point it is unclear how much more rehabilitation Rhayne will require. Mira will remain by her side for as long as it takes and although she has some limited family support for child care, it will mean difficulty in her ability to reliably schedule work in the coming months as Rhayne eases back to school and her healing appointments.

Funds raised will assist Mira in paying her rent, groceries and bills, to help with upcoming medical follow ups/travel to Calgary, specialist appointments for rehabilitation therapy and to purchase Rhayne a Chromebook to assist with her schooling.

Please donate what you can. Even $25 from many people will add up quickly and help so much. (If you prefer to see about having a painting job done and are somewhat flexible in scheduling, please contact Mira)