TestimoniaLS

Loralai

(Chantle G., Loralai's mother)

Loralai was 2 years when we discovered her brain tumor, I had known before that something was really wrong. I took her to specialists, different primary care physicians, and 7 E.R. visits. Nobody believed me and I had been fighting for answers.

One month after Loralai's birthday her symptoms became worse and worse, until finally she was becoming unresponsive, she was rushed to Children's Hospital Aurora, where we found a massive tumor.  It was the size of a grapefruit! taking over majority of the space in the skull and her brain no longer had room to thrive.

Loralai went through brain surgery and began chemo very shortly after. She spent a year and a half on treatment and successfully had no sign of tumor, before she had an allergic reaction and we stopped. She lived an additional 8 months before her tumor regrew and eventually took her from me.

We lived an incredible life, although she suffered through so much. I am so blessed to be her mama and this brief over view doesn't share the magnitude of impact she had on so many people, but her journey was long, hard and inspiring. In December just weeks before she passed, we were blessed to be sponsored by The Gayle Cronin Foundation to go to California and spend our time at Disneyland and California Adventure. It was the last trip I would take with Loralai. I will cherish that trip for the rest of my life. I'm so grateful for the chance to go and have memories of my princess there. A trip I couldn’t have created for her without their help. TGCF will forever have a special place in my heart because of this.

Her type of tumor is called ETMR. It is an embryonic tumor that starts during pregnancy and develops along with the fetus. For a long time her brain didn't even know something was wrong, until it didn't have space and was dying. This photo was on our trip and I love how excited she looks to be meeting Sophia. That's the magic of the vacation we got.

She fought so hard and beautifully. I miss and love her beyond explanation. I will never be the same. I always say, my joy and sadness are forever the same emotion, felt at the same time.