After months spent battling brain and spinal cancer, 4-month-old Lillian Grace Borden has finally rang the “cancer-free” bell at the hospital — with the help of her mom, of course.
As Good Morning America reported, the emotional moment was captured on video and posted online where it has since gone viral, tugging the heartstrings of people all over the world.
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Lily was born September 5, 2019, and initially seemed to be a perfectly healthy baby girl.
“She was not distressed at birth,” a GoFundMe for the infant on behalf of her parents, Patrick and Leann, recalls. “We held her, she cried, we cried, all was right with the world.”
However, a nurse soon noticed something wasn’t quite right, and realized Lily wasn’t moving her limbs properly.
After an orthopedic specialist was alerted, a subsequent MRI found “an ominous spot on her brain stem.”
As it turns out, that spot was a tumor that ran from her brain stem down her spinal cord, just below her shoulders.
The tumor was deemed inoperable and was growing at an aggressive rate, but doctors proceeded with a biopsy.
The results came back, and at barely a month old, Lily was diagnosed with a stage 3/4 Glioma brain tumor.
Because of its location, surgeons told the infant’s parents that they wouldn’t be able to operate.
However, hope wasn’t entirely lost. The family learned of a recently approved targeted form of chemotherapy for tumors of a certain genetic makeup. There was no time to wait — they had to act fast if there was going to be any chance to save little Lily.
Lily began chemo treatment on October 2, and a follow-up MRI showed the tumor had become slightly smaller.
“By the time the second round of treatment was scheduled three weeks later, they had received approval for the targeted therapy,” Lily’s GoFundMe page explains. “Her first MRI three weeks after use of the targeted therapy showed NO SIGN OF THE TUMOR.”
After three more week-long targeted therapy sessions, Lily was finally declared cancer free on January 25, 2020.
In a video posted to her Facebook, the girl’s mom, Leann, can be seen proudly holding her nearly 5-month-old daughter as they prepare to ring the hospital’s bell.
“We are so grateful to everyone here for everything you did,” a tearful Leann says in the clip. “We would have lost everything. I’ve never met such amazing people in my whole life.”
With Lily’s father, Patrick, standing by their sides, Leann reaches up and rings the cancer-free bell on behalf of their little fighter of a daughter.
“We thank everyone who has been with us this whole time,” Leann captioned the now-viral video. “From all of the donations, text messages and prayers. We hope you enjoy this video!”
“And now [Lily’s] name will be hung forever.”
A GoFundMe page was established for the family just days after Lily’s diagnosis, and documents her entire treatment process.
As of writing, the campaign has raised $10,410 of its $15,000 goal.
Its organizer, Shari Borden, explained those funds will go towards easing the financial burden placed on the family from traveling for Lily’s treatments and missing months of work.
h/t: Good Morning America , GoFundMe
