Valerie Wu

Valerie’s life changed dramatically in 2019, when she realized that her left eye was starting to go lazy and drift off. Her mom shook it aside at first, but the severity increased. Valerie went to the local eye doctor, whosent her to another doctor and another one after that. Valerie was instinctive, she had an inkling that this was more than just an eye issue. As she suspected, after they did an MRI, it was revealed that she had atumor.

Valerie was sent directly to the children hospital emergency room. She was still a happy and lively child when she was admitted to the hospital. After two months of treatment, she became a muted, bedridden bigbaby. Valerie cried when she first heard that she had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, and never since.

While most kids her age were off playing, relaxing and enjoying summer, Valerie spent months at the children hospital. Valerie had various surgeries, a shunt put in, a port, and multiple brain surgeries within 2months. she underwent 6 operations, 4 circles of chemo treatments, 24 days of Proton therapy, an advanced form of radiation to target the cancerous tumor.

Valerie and our family were truly overwhelmed and frightened with the prognosis and the treatment ahead. It was an incredibly rough rollercoaster ride throughout her treatment.

Oncologists and nurses celebrated that "Valerie" was "free of cancer" in the hospital on February 7 this year. She still has to perform an MRI exam and see a doctor every three months for follow-up exams to ensurethat the cancer does not recur.