Out of 300 children worldwide, a 19-month-old girl from Murrieta, California, is coping with a rare cancer diagnosis.
“Keliyah’s only symptoms for a while were oversleeping and vomiting. She threw up just once a day every couple of weeks for about 2–3 months,” Tasi Moore, Keliyah’s mother stated. “We took her to the ER every time it happened, but doctors assumed it was a stomach virus.”
Moore and her husband discovered Keliyah unconscious one morning after she had been vomiting for several months. She was consequently admitted to Rady Children’s Hospital and underwent urgent brain tumor surgery.
The infant was diagnosed by the oncology team with Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes (ETMR), an extremely rare and aggressive brain cancer.
Only 10% to 20% of children with ETMR survive for more than a year, and many of them do not receive prompt, intensive care from qualified professionals. Since few specialists have experience treating it due to its rarity, Keliyah’s journey is particularly challenging and urgent.
The Section Chief of Pediatric Neuro-oncology at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center is an expert in treating EMTR, and he is collaborating with Keliyah’s oncology team at Rady Children’s Hospital.
“Keliyah is more than a diagnosis. She’s a loving, spirited little girl who deserves a fighting chance,” Tasi Moore, Keliyah’s mother stated.
“This story isn’t just about a medical battle—it’s about a child’s fight for life and a family doing everything in their power to keep her safe and supported through it. Our hope is that by sharing Keliyah’s journey, we can raise awareness about ETMR, the devastating impact it has on families, and the desperate need for more research and support,” Tasi Moore, Keliyah’s mother stated.
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To help them travel across the nation to see their daughter’s specialists, the family is requesting any donations. You can find the GoFundMe here.
Moore responded, “Trust your gut,” when asked what guidance they would give to other families facing childhood illness. Continue to ask questions if your child seems strange. Don’t be scared to contact experts nationwide or request second opinions.
Moore claimed that her family’s outlook on life has been totally altered by this experience.
“We’ve learned how small things really are in the grand scheme of things,” she stated. “Life can change in an instant—one day you’re playing peek-a-boo, the next you’re in an ICU praying your baby survives brain surgery.”
