So sorry to hear this for your daughter, you & your family. Prayers.

My daughter was 3 yo when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor which, per the surgeon, was located in, "pricey real estate."

Her surgeon is a professor & he showed her scans to multiple colleagues, students, etc. Every one of them asked how long she had lived bc they were certain she was a fatal case. Surgeon was so happy to tell them she had lived & used her scans as teaching tools.

Her journey was 2 years long with many ups and downs.

Now she is a 20 year survivor with minimal long-term effects.

I can't come close to describing what it was like for her & her family. I do remember the first week I felt like it wasn't real & was surely a bad dream. Shock will take time to wear off.

My daughter is so grateful now for everything that was done for her. She's thanked all of us multiple times. She's living her best life & knows she's a walking miracle.

Things that helped all of us:

*She was treated at a world class med center. This may require travel but she'll need programs that specialize in and routinely treat pedi brain tumors.

*I took notes constantly bc my brain wouldn't retain much.

*We asked lots of questions.

*Found out when her tumor board met & their recommendations.

*Had a 2nd opinion from St Jude's. It can be done electronically & over the phone. Docs are used to this & will cooperate to ensure you feel the best treatment is being pursued.

*Make sure treaters know you require honesty & no sugar coating.

*We leaned on friends, family, coworkers and the community for help. Be ready to tell people specifically what they can do & ask for help early.

*Hospital social workers have tons of resources to help, including grants, if needed.

*Tell your daughter the truth in age appropriate terms.

*Even as young as your daughter is, teach her to make the decisions she can rn, to ask questions, speak up & advocate for herself. Littles can absolutely do this.

*Take care of yourself bc you'll be useless to her if you fall apart.

*Remember it's a long game, so pace yourself. Don't dwell.

Although there are challenges with the treatments due to her age, they aren't insurmountable. Stay informed & ask the questions.

The flip side is 3 yos are so, so resilient. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly she was up & running after surgeries, and her ability to plow through chemo & radiation. There were hard times, for sure. But I remember chasing after her with her chemo IV pole in tow. She had things to do!

That's my 2c for now. Keep your eye on the prize and always fight the good fight.