Page 121 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2021

GIVING BACK
SOSO STRONG PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of SoSo Strong Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
DIPG stands for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a big name that sadly takes the lives of small patients. It’s the deadliest and most aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer. Less than 10 percent of the children diagnosed with DIPG live for two years after diagnosis and there is no known cure.
Seven-year-old Sophia Myers of Ocean Springs died of DIPG in 2017. “DIPG stole our beautiful daughter, Sophia, but she still has a future,” said her mother, Angel Myers McIlrath. “Her future, her legacy, will be finding a cure for DIPG and all pediatric brain tumors.”
McIlrath and Sophia’s father, Josh Myers, founded the SoSo Strong Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation with the hope of helping other families who may be faced with the death sentence that is DIPG. Sophia’s favorite nickname was SoSo. During her illness she showed amazing strength and grace; she was truly so so strong.
The foundation’s mission is to find a cure for DIPG and other brain tumors and to identify the cause while spreading awareness about these cancers and improving the lives of patients and
their families. Funds raised through the foundation go toward research, finding
a cure and extending and improving the quality of life of those diagnosed with DIPG until a cure can be found. Experts have said that finding a cure for DIPG will unlock the door to curing many other cancers.
SoSo Strong Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
P.O. Box 632, Ocean Springs 228.327.3133 | www.sosostrongpbtf.org
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
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