Ava is a beautiful five-year-old with an amazing sense of humor and a laugh that is contagious!
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nIn late May of 2021, Ava couldn’t keep up while out running errands. Her parents noticed her gait was off, and she was limping when she walked. The next day they took her to the hospital where doctors did a CT scan.
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nIt didn’t take long for doctors to discover that Ava had a tumor in her brain the size of a grape. She was given steroids, anti-seizure medication, and was immediately transferred to Randall Children’s Hospital.
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nAva’s journey began with a series of MRI’s, surgical biopsies, more steroids, surgically placing a port, and chemotherapy.
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nAva was officially diagnosed with an Astrocytoma (low grade glioma).
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nUnfortunately, after multiple rounds of chemotherapy the tumor started to grow, and she developed hydrocephalus around the brain. Ava needed brain surgery to relieve the pressure and remove the tumor.
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nAva endured a 16-hour brain surgery where doctors were able to remove 99.9% of the tumor.
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nDespite all the pain and struggles with side effects from the treatments, therapy and surgery, Ava continues to put a smile on the faces of those around her. She is an inspiration to everyone! This will be a lifelong journey for her as doctors monitor her progress.
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nAva will be adopted as a Sparrow to Lake Oswego Jr. High School. Students will work hard to raise money for Ava through sponsored community service.