Two years ago, Addy Joy Sooter’s grandma noticed a little “hitch” in her granddaughter’s step.
Initially, Addy’s mom and dad didn’t think anything of the minor change in the 2-year-old’s walk, until several visits to the doctor confirmed the worst — Addy had a deadly tumor on her brain stem.
Later that year, the toddler was officially diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or what is known as DIPG.
According to defeatdipg.org, DIPG is “a brain tumor found in a part of the brain stem called the pons. The pons controls essential bodily functions such as heartbeat, breathing, swallowing, eye movement, eyesight, and balance.”
The aggressive tumor is known to affect exclusively children, and it interferes with almost all everyday activities, including the ability to move, talk, eat, and drink.
While the survival rate for DIPG patients “very low,” the Sooters still held high hopes for a cure for their baby girl.
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In her first three months of treatment, Addy seemed to be responding well to the countless rounds of radiation. However, at the six-month mark, the treatment ceased working and the tumor grew larger.
Medical professionals told Addy’s parents that there was nothing more they could do and that they should take her home to “make memories.”
However, the Sooters weren’t about to give up on fighting for their daughter’s life that easily.
They made the tough decision to take the toddler to Mexico to participate in an “experimental treatment.”
