HOLLAND, Mich. — Nearly six years ago, now 12-year-old Emerson Hoogendoorn was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma, or DMG, and was able to fight off the rare and deadly cancer. Now, “Emerson the Brave” is battling another form of brain cancer.
After winning the initial battle with the rare disease she was diagnosed with in 2018, for nearly three years, doctors could not find any signs of a tumor during routine scans.
In May of 2023, a new cancer was found after doctors saw a new tumor. Doctors said it’s likely the result of radiation treatments. The cancer is extremely deadly. 90% of children who are diagnosed with DMG die within two years of their diagnosis.
Her grandmother, Barb Francis, said the second round of cancer is taking its toll on her.
"You wouldn't have known that she had cancer at all for those first five years, other than the initial treatment with radiation, you wouldn't have known that she had cancer,” Francis said. "She just seemed like a healthy kid until the second diagnosis, then everybody could see the change."
Francis said there is not enough funding or research being done for DMG, which currently has no cure. Lisa Foy was Emerson's teacher in kindergarten and fifth grade, but now she’s part of the effort to raise money to get her the bike she needs and her dream trip to Walt Disney World with her family.
"With the funds that we make tonight, we can get Emerson the recumbent bike to allow her to get some more strength in her legs and to take her family to Disney, which is super important because they need time and memories together as a whole family,” Foy said.
After Tuesday night's fundraising, almost $10,000 was raised to get Emerson that bike.
With life's turn of events for Emerson, her grandmother said she has been strong through each phase of her journey. She has been influenced by the medical staff who have helped her and hopes to be a voice to other children dealing with the devastating and deadly disease – cancer.
"Emerson herself hopes to be an encouragement to other kids going through cancer, that is her goal,” Foy said. "She knows what it's like, she knows what it feels like to have gone through all the treatments, radiation, chemotherapy, surgeries, trips to the hospital."
Emerson's family said after being in the hospital for weeks, she'll be coming home this weekend. If you would like to support the family, you can donate to their GoFundMe, or visit their Facebook page for updates on her progress.
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