When Audrey stared right at her sister without any movement or response, her sister complained to their mother, Melissa, that Audrey was teasing. But when Melissa saw this behavior, she knew something was wrong.

“One day we were sitting upstairs, and she did it to me, and when I tried to get her attention, I realized there was a disconnect there. I didn't know what it was,” said Melissa. 

When a veterinarian friend suggested that these episodes could be seizures, Melissa took Audrey to her pediatrician. Melissa wasn’t sure how her pediatrician would respond, since Audrey had already been having migraines for years without any significant improvement, but within two hours Audrey was scheduled for a CT scan of her brain followed by an electroencephalogram (EEG). 

When the EEG showed seizure activity, Audrey underwent a second brain scan. This time, the MRI revealed a brain tumor called an anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. Within three days, they met Dr. Howard Weiner, Chief of Neurosurgery at Texas Children’s Hospital, and arranged for surgery to remove the tumor. 

Six weeks of radiation

The surgery successfully removed the tumor, but this only marked the beginning of her cancer treatment journey. As part of her care plan, Audrey also underwent proton therapy, a type of targeted radiation treatment for sensitive areas of the body. 

“She took the whole first semester off from school, but by January, she wanted to go back. We were doing radiation treatments at 6:00 a.m. so she could make it to a full day of school,” said Melissa.

During their time at the hospital, Audrey and her family were impressed by how welcoming and supportive the hospital felt. Along with resources provided by the Child Life Department, a culture centered on putting children first helped Audrey maintain a sense of normalcy despite her serious diagnosis. She was given the freedom to simply be a kid, from being with her four siblings, to cartwheeling down the hallway when the moment called for it.

Entering a clinical trial

Audrey’s family received a much-appreciated gift from the Make-A-Wish Foundation once her six weeks of radiation were complete — the entire family went to Hawaii, where they had some time to recover and reconnect in anticipation of Audrey’s next round of treatments.

As part of the detailed molecular evaluation to better understand Audrey’s brain tumor, her medical team discovered a rare mutation that enabled her to enroll in a clinical trial. Audrey is currently participating in a clinical trial that includes 24 cycles of treatment to target the tumor. So far, Audrey is doing well with the treatments. She and her family feel blessed that so far, the medication is working, and she has experienced few negative side effects.

Advice for other families

To other parents concerned about their child’s health, Melissa’s advice is straightforward. 

“If you think something's wrong, don't stop pursuing it until you have an answer. Her care team was great with that,” she said. 

Audrey’s advice to other children facing a cancer diagnosis is straightforward: stay strong. 

What comes next

At this stage in her treatment, Audrey is taking on new challenges that have nothing to do with cancer and everything to do with fun. She has joined Future Farmers of America (FFA) with her older sister, and together they are raising two cows to show in October. 

As her treatments progress, her family looks forward with faith to whatever comes next, but Audrey also carries with her a small reminder of all that she has overcome: a small collection of corkscrew curls that replaced the hair she lost during radiation. When she wears her otherwise straight hair in a ponytail, she leaves this section out to show them off. 

Learn more about brain cancer treatment at the Brain and Spinal Cord Tumor Program.