Regan’s journey:
Regan was diagnosed at 7 months old with stage 4 MRT… she fought hard without any complaining or fussing for 6 months before being given the terminal diagnosis. She was always a ball of energy and smiles. If you didn’t know she had cancer you’d never have been able to tell from her actions. She always had bright eyes for the doctors and nurses while making them laugh. She was strong all the way until the last days and even at the end she managed to find a way to smile. She will always be my hero and my personal angel.
Why Regan is a Gold Ribbon Hero:
She’s a gold ribbon hero because she didn’t once complain about treatment, or being stuck in hospitals. She always went with the flow and seemed to make the best out of all of her situations. While her journey was short, it was hard and she took it like a champ. Even proving doctors wrong on a few occasions and always giving the nurses a reason to smile.
Nominee’s Fundraising Page:
https://www.youcaring.com/darylschottandfamily-790434
Other social media pages:
www.reganstrong.blogspot.com
Date of Diagnosis:
04/01/2017
Status:
In Memory
Cancer Type:
Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor (MRT) Stage IV
Neuroblastoma is caused by the abnormal development of immature nerve cells known as neuroblasts. As a fetus develops, most neuroblasts grow and eventually become mature nerve cells either before birth or in the first few months after birth. However, in some cases, neuroblasts do not develop correctly. Instead of becoming mature nerve cells, they continue to grow and divide. In some cases, these abnormal neuroblasts simply die off; however, in some rare cases, they develop into tumors or neuroblastoma.
Clinical trials are a part of long-term research studies designed to develop and test potential new treatment options for cancer and other illnesses. When a team of physicians and/or scientists believes they have developed a potentially effective new treatment, they will first study the treatment in the lab, and then potentially test it on animals. If the new treatment shows promise, it may be tested in people through a multi-phase clinical trial. This is an important step in determining whether a new treatment gets government approval and can be incorporated into existing treatment protocols. Clinical trials are a critical part of the on-going fight to develop new and better treatment options for cancers, especially childhood cancers.
Neuroblastoma is a type of childhood cancer that develops in immature nerve cells within the sympathetic nervous system. Part of the autonomic nervous system (which controls bodily functions we do not consciously control, such as breathing and heart rate), the sympathetic nervous system is made up of nerve fibers that run parallel to the spinal cord, ganglia (clusters of nerve cells) found along the nerve fibers, and nerve-like cells located in the adrenal glands. Neuroblastoma begins to grow in the very early forms of nerve cells as they develop in the embryo or fetus.
On average in the United States each year, there are more than 4,000 new diagnoses of 
The brain and central nervous system control every aspect of our body, from its most basic functions such as breathing to significantly more complex functions such as movement and balance. The brain even controls personality and social interactions. So tumors located in the brain or spinal cord, whether they are benign or malignant, can significant impact how our body functions depending on where they grow and how much damage they inflict on healthy brain tissue. Survivorship issues for children with 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – APRIL 23rd – 24th, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 15, 2018 – Beltsville, MD – (ICCD) is celebrated around the world each year on February 15th. Originally commemorated in 2002, ICCD is day founded by Childhood Cancer International (CCI), a global network of 188-member organizations in 96 countries. Childhood Cancer International, along with the American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO), is committed to working collaboratively towards advancing cures, transforming care, and instilling hope for all children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer in the world, wherever they may live.
Generally speaking, “cancer” is a broad name for a condition in which cells in a particular part of the body begin to malfunction. They begin to grow, divide, and replicate more quickly than normal cells, and/or they do not die as normal when they are worn out or damaged. When these abnormal, or “cancerous”, cells originate in the brain or the spinal cord, they usually form a clump or a mass known as a tumor. As the cancerous cells continue to replicate, the tumor grows until it begins to cause damage to the brain and/or the spinal cord.
When grouped together in a single classification, cancers in the brain and spinal cord are the second most common form of cancer in children after childhood leukemia, with more than 4,000 new diagnoses every year. However, it is important to recognize that this is a very broad classification: in fact, there are many different types of brain and spinal cord cancers, each of which can cause different symptoms and each of which may require a unique treatment approach. It is also important to note at the outset of any discussion about cancers of the brain and spinal cord that, unlike in other areas of the body, oncologists do not differentiate between benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) tumors in the central nervous system. Both types of tumors can be life-threatening if not treated. For this reason, oncologists usually refer to “brain tumors” instead of “brain cancers”.