Declan Fish is a sweet, active 2-year-old boy with an infectious smile who loves Daniel Tiger, the color blue and his stuffed monkey. In May 2017, we started noticing a significant change in Declan's gross motor skills. After visiting the pediatrician, and getting a clean bill of health along with a recommendation to see an ENT, we chalked it up to being overly concerned parents and that maybe he was in a toddler clingy phase. It was a complete gift from the Lord that our good friends and neighbors came over for a drink that evening, one who happens to be a neurologist and brain tumor survivor. When he saw the change in Declan's walking gait, he strongly recommended that we go to the ER that night for a neurological evaluation. At this time we moved quickly, but still thought that this was overdoing it. Needless to say, that was not the case. The next week, Declan had a softball-sized tumor removed from his brain that turned out to be Grade III Choroid Plexus Carcinoma. He experienced several complications post-surgery resulting in more surgeries and more than two months at Seattle Children's Hospital. Once his little body was healed enough from the surgeries, he started a six-month chemotherapy regime that was incredibly challenging for all of us. While undergoing chemo, he was also working to regain strength in his left side that was lost due to the brain surgery so he can walk, run, jump and throw a ball one day. It's amazing to see Declan's spirit shine through every day despite the sickness and pain he endures. He never hesitates to flash his infectious smile to every person he encounters. I hate cancer. Is it okay to say that? I really try to stay positive during this journey as I know there is an ultimate plan, and it helps to keep us going, but some days are just sad. I will never forget the night that was the worst we've seen him--actively showing us how bad he feels. He'd say "night night" over and over because he just wanted it to go away. He was pretty scared after he threw up a couple of times, and it just got to me. As I walked the halls of Children's to take his clothes and little monkey to the laundry, I looked in the rooms at all of the cancer kids and my heart just ached. It's not fair what these kids have to endure. They are so amazingly resilient, but they have to go through so much. It's more than I will ever have to deal with in my lifetime. I hurt for all of them. We know we have a long, difficult road ahead of us but its one we face with hope. Seeing what we have gone through, I now know and understand so much more the importance of research and how it directly affects kids like Declan. Without research, we wouldn't have had the success of his tumor resection, or the new treatments to give him his own white blood cells back, or the light technology that directed the surgeons to the exact placement of his tumor. So many kids are affected by brain tumors and so much research is needed to increase the survival rates. Thank you for helping kids like Declan. He is now finished with chemo, is getting his blonde hair back and is showing NED (no evidence of disease)!! We pray every day that his cancer will not come back and that he can regain his strength in his left side so that he can one day walk up the stairs on his own just like his friends. You are incredible for helping us in this fight!