Since Amelie was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 6, she’s been under the care of a neurologist. But it was a routine eye exam in July 2024 that led to a brain cancer diagnosis. She was 16.
“The optometrist ran a retina scan and found a lot of pressure on her eye nerves. We were told it could be very serious, and we should take her to the Emergency Department,” explained her father, Santiago. “She didn’t have any symptoms at the time, but we went to Advocate Children’s Hospital – Park Ridge, and that’s where the journey began.”
Doctors ran tests and found a tangerine-sized tumor on the right side of Amelie’s brain.
“As you can imagine, it was a very scary and sad time for our family. The doctors told us the tumor was likely cancer, which a pathologist later confirmed. Amelie was extremely frightened at first, but she’s so resilient and strong. She ended up providing us with strength.”
The day after her cancer diagnosis, Amelie had the first of two surgeries needed to remove the tumor.
“Her neurosurgeon, Dr. Daphne Li, was simply amazing,” shared Santiago. “In fact, every nurse and person we interacted with was kind and compassionate. When you’re going through something like this, you’re almost numb. Your whole focus is on your child, and you don’t necessarily perceive what’s going on. But they explained everything so we understood; they were reassuring and made us feel hopeful, confident and comfortable.”
Because of the tumor’s location, the surgeries came with significant risks. Her nerves could have been damaged, affecting her motor skills, speech and short-term memory.
“Fortunately, the surgeries were successful and nothing like that happened. And she didn’t need any further treatment – just regular follow-up appointments.”
While the medical staff took care of her physical health during her hospital stays, the Child Life team helped manage her emotional and developmental needs.
“They had a therapy dog. She also had therapy through art and puzzles to help with her fine motor skills. She spoke to psychologists to manage her mental health,” said Santiago. “And even though she’s an older kid, she was still entertained by the magician that visited. They were all very nice people.”
Almost one year later, Amelie is thriving.
“She’s back to normal, for the most part. She’ll continue follow-up appointments and scans for another two years. She still takes her epilepsy medication and has some restrictions with exercise; for example, she can’t do anything where she could hit her head. She gets extra time for tests at school, but she’s doing great and applying to colleges and universities.”
And in November, Amelie and her family are taking a very special vacation to celebrate her 18th birthday.
“We’ll be celebrating in Paris, which has always been a dream of hers,” explained Santiago. “She’s gone through so much; it’s a meaningful and symbolic trip for us all.”
Inspired by the care Amelie received, Santiago wrote a note of gratitude to the team at Advocate Children’s: "My family and I are grateful for the attention my 16-year-old daughter Amelie received when diagnosed with brain cancer and with the two surgeries that followed. Dr. Li and her team, along with the neurologists and nurses in the PICU gave us hope and support during those difficult times. Their compassion, professionalism and empathy were and still are greatly appreciated. Thank you for saving our daughter's life and for continuing to care for her at every visit."
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