In a heartbreaking photo shared by the parents of a dying 4-year-old girl, we can see her young brother comforting her during her final moments, reminding us of what families struggling with cancer have to go through.
I was June 2 when 4-year-old Adalynn Joy Sooter, also known as Addy, from Rogers, Arkansas, was resting in a hospital bed with her 6-year-old brother Jackson by her side.
Matt Sooter / Facebook
Addy was diagnosed with a highly aggressive brain tumor, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), back in November 2016. The brain started in the brain stem and soon limited Addy’s ability to walk and hold things in her hands.
Addy continued to thrive for 18 months thanks to 33 radiation treatments in Arkansas as well as countless experimental procedures conducted in Mexico.
Matt Sooter / Facebook
Unfortunately, the cancer began rapidly spreading in May and affected the girl’s lower brain and spine. As the treatments ceased to provide satisfactory results, everyone knew that her life was coming to an end.
The family, however, was not ready to let go of their beloved Addy without saying their goodbyes. And so, on June 2 Jackson comforted his sister as she held onto his arm.
Matt Sooter / Facebook
“A little boy should not have to say goodbye to his partner in crime, his play mate, his best friend, his little sister,” their father, Matt Sooter wrote in a Facebook post.
Only hours later, Addy passed away surrounded by her family. “She wasn’t in any pain at the end,” Matt said.
Matt Sooter / Facebook
“Our children are our future and yet they only receive 4 percent of cancer research funding,” Sooter wrote for Love What Matters in hopes of inspiring other people to take action on childhood cancer. “Please, write your representatives and demand that more funding be given to childhood cancer research.”
Matt Sooter / Facebook
As Michael Mosier of the Defeat DIPG Foundation wrote as he shared the shocking facts related to the disease:
“These are the devastating facts and statistics associated with DIPG, the deadliest form of childhood brain cancer.
“If you are fortunate enough to learn about DIPG from others and not from personal experience with your child, we beg you to spread the word and raise awareness. Thank you for fighting with us to find a cure.”
Please raise the awareness of this deadly condition that affects thousands of children each year by SHARING this post with your loved ones!
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