In late May, 2025, MacKenzie Edwards had been complaining of headaches to his parents, and had no appetite for months. At a visit to his pediatrician on May 19, they were sent to get a pediatric MRI brain scan at Children's Hospital in Plano, and the results sent the doctors into action. They were rushed by ambulance to Children's Hospital at UT Southwestern, the leading cancer hospital in Dallas. The doctors met them there. The scan revealed a large tumor in his frontal lobe. But, Mac's brain had 250ml of fluid that had to be drained before the doctor could remove it, and then an 11 hour surgery followed the very next morning at 7am. The tumor removed, the doctors hoped they were out of the woods, and had just released Mac from ICU, but a second brain scan brought their worst nightmare, ANOTHER tumor attached to his brain stem, which required a very delicate 9 hour surgery, and 6 rounds of pinpoint radiation to remove. In all, the family spent 71 days in the hospital, before sending Mac home. He still returns for therapy daily (speech, physical, occupational, and play therapy) to relearn most of what they were told he might never do again. Chaz and Caitlin are constantly working to make sure he meets his appointments and is learning at home with the homebound teacher to catch up to his 1st grade peers. He still wears a pic line in his nose, but he gets to spend time with his 2 year old sister, Evie, who learned at the hospital (in toddler terms) how her brother needs to be careful when he plays with her. Mac's last brain scan was clean, but he will continue to have an MRI every 3 months for the next 10 years. He is learning a lot, and it's a miracle that he'll be able to go back to school in January, and wants to play baseball again soon! I am Mac's Great Aunt Stephanie (Cindy's little sister in Austin), and have wished I could do something to help from afar. In this season of giving, I hope you will join me in helping this young family who has been through so much this year. Buy them a gift card to provide dinner on busy evenings after therapy, or to get groceries as they celebrate the season.