Madelyn had been suffering from reading fluency issues and occasional headaches with vomiting for several months. All examinations were non-problematic, and her pediatrician diagnosed migraine headaches. On May 6th, she awoke at 4:30 am with a headache we could not calm. She insisted we take her to the Emergency Room. By 1:00 that afternoon, we knew she had a stage 4 inoperable diffuse intrinsic brain stem glioma. Without the option of surgery, and with traditional chemotherapy unable to cross the blood-brain barrier, we were left with only radiation therapy, which was the standard course of care. The prognosis was bleak. Our family has spent the past 9 months fighting to find and try options to augment the radiation Maddy received in May and June. We will leave no option unexplored. Maddy is an amazing fighter. Throughout this past 9 month journey, she has never thought of failure as an option. Her faith in God and in her treatment team is absolute, and she knows even better than her parents that she will be healed. She has used her experiences to raise both awareness and funds to fight childhood cancer. Even when sick, even when off balance, even when cranky due to steroid treatment, Maddy has understood that she contracted cancer for a greater reason. She strives everyday to excell in school and in her activities while maintaining her treatments and almost daily appointments. Like any child battling cancer, Maddy is a hero to her family and to her supporters from all over the world.