THE CURSE OF DIPG
Imagine, for a moment, ten children you know. Now imagine they have DIPG. Nine of those precious souls will have passed away within 24 months.
Now imagine four school buses full of children with DIPG. In five years, 99 of the 100 will no longer be with us.
This is one of the deadliest cancers known to humanity. It robs the lives of the youngest among us – children between the ages of 4-9 years old who have barely had a chance to live.
ABOUT DIPG
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, is the most lethal form of pediatric brain cancer. Approximately 300 children per year are diagnosed with DIPG – its cause is unknown. DIPG is a highly aggressive tumor located in the brainstem. The brainstem is critical to our basic functions, so common interventions used in other cancers, such as resection, are not an option. DIPG symptoms include partial or full facial paralysis, eye(s) turned inward, loss of balance, loss of ability to walk, loss of fine motor coordination, loss of ability to move, loss of speech, loss of ability to eat, excruciating headaches, and eventually loss of ability to regulate breathing and heartbeat. DIPG is almost always fatal (see facts- link to above); the average life expectancy for a child at diagnosis is 9-11 months, nearly the same amount of time spent in the womb.
Since Neal Armstrong’s daughter passed from this terrible disease in 1962 to today – 60 years later – the prognosis for children with DIPG is just as dire. Radiation therapy is the only standard of care, and while it can help prolong survival for a few months and buy precious time with loved ones, it makes some children incredibly sick. However, there is reason for hope. While there is no cure for DIPG, many brilliant minds across the globe – including many that helped our Braden – are working tirelessly to find a cure. You can help them succeed.