Rare Brain Tumor Strikes Local Five Year Old – Family Needs Us

Friends and family members in Foley of the Popp family are sharing the news that their loved ones need our thoughts and prayers.

It's never easy to write stories about children in our own community who need help. As a mom, I can't help but think about how quickly life can change for a family. One day you're worrying about the everyday things that come with raising kids, and the next, you're facing something no parent should ever have to imagine.

EMMA HOPE

Emma and her family are one of those families going through the unimaginable. It is a reminder of just how much we have to be thankful for. Food on our tables, a roof over our heads, our children laughing in the next room, and the people we love. Sometimes we get so caught up in working and running around that we forget... those everyday moments that we all take for granted aren't guaranteed.

This is Emma's story, and I hope you'll take a few minutes to read it and consider helping this family if you can. Emma is just five years old. Her middle name is Hope, and right now, that name means more than ever to her family.

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AMAZING EMMA

Emma would be described as a happy, energetic little girl who loves gymnastics.  On a GoFundMe page, it is said that she could do front handsprings, balance on a beam, and flip on the bars.  She has been described as 'athletic, fearless, funny, and never afraid to show how she feels. When Emma was happy, everyone in the room knew it.'

But this spring, her family started noticing changes. At first, she was having trouble sleeping. Over the following months, her speech began to change; she had difficulty swallowing, and she started experiencing weakness on her left side. She also started having trouble with her balance.

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THE NEWS NO PARENT WANTS TO HEAR

Her mom, Jamie, knew something wasn't right. In early August, the family brought Emma to Children's Minnesota. That's when they received news no parent ever wants to hear.

Emma has a rare and very aggressive brain tumor called DIPG.

If you have never heard of DIPG, basically, it grows in the brainstem, which is an area of the brain that controls important things like breathing, movement, and swallowing. Because of where the tumor is located, doctors cannot remove it with surgery.  There is currently no cure for DIPG.

Since her diagnosis, Emma has already been through a biopsy, surgery to relieve pressure on her brain, and several MRIs. Emma is now looking at about six weeks of radiation treatments, five days a week. Because she is only 5 years old, she will need to be sedated for these treatments, as a person has to remain completely still during these treatments, and we all know 5-year-olds. Sitting still isn't really one of their strong points.

BUYING TIME

The radiation isn't expected to cure the tumor, but doctors hope it will slow its growth and ease some of Emma's symptoms. The treatments are meant to give her more quality time with her family and friends.

I reached out to Emma's mother, Jamie Popp, for permission to share this story with the community. I asked her if there was anything she wanted to say to everyone. It was hard for her to respond.

'I’m sitting...waiting for appointments with Emma as we start our next journey of clinical trials at Children’s. We have been blessed to have the support of so many. We are just taking life day by day and enjoying all the small moments.' ~Jamie Popp.

SEARCHING FOR POSSIBILITIES

Her family is looking into clinical trials and other possible treatments that could help Emma, but it also means traveling further from home to find those treatments. They are doing everything they can to find additional options and hold on to hope that a cure will be found, or to at least find something that can improve her symptoms and extend her life.

Meanwhile, life for the entire family has changed.

LIFE CHANGES

Emma's mom, Jamie, is leaving her job so she can be by her daughter's side. Her dad, Matthew, will also need to take considerable time away from work. They want to make sure one of them is always there for Emma.

They also have two other children, eight-year-old Olivia and two-year-old Ian, who need their parents during this incredibly difficult time.

NO INCOME FOR A FAMILY OF FIVE

The family is facing the possibility of a year with little to no income while trying to manage medical expenses, travel, lodging, childcare, and all the other unexpected costs that come with caring for a seriously ill child.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been started by relatives to raise $200,000. The money raised will help cover lost income for both parents, travel and lodging for treatments and possible clinical trials, medical expenses, and care for Emma's brother and sister during this critical time in her life.

This family needs to focus on their little girl and make life as normal as possible for their other two children...not worry about how they'll pay the bills while doing it.

Every small donation makes a difference. I'm like many of you. I really don't have extra money at the end of the month. But if you can trade your morning coffee tomorrow and instead send it to a family that is making the most out of the hand they've been dealt, this is one of those times when it absolutely can make a big difference.

HOW TO HELP

Every contribution helps take a little bit of the financial pressure off a family that already has more on its shoulders than anyone should have to carry. If donating isn't possible right now, sharing Emma's story is another way you can help.

I know we can't fix everything wrong in the world...but we can remind this family that they aren't facing it alone. Please consider making a donation or sharing Emma's story, and remind this family that their community is standing beside them.