Pictured above: Millie (right) and her mother.

Millie had neck pain on and off for three years. A high school sophomore, Millie was busy, and it was easy to ignore the pain. She played volleyball for fun and was a member of her school’s cheer team. In addition to those activities, she loved to draw and crochet in her free time at home.

The pain persisted, getting harder to ignore. An x-ray ordered by her doctor did not reveal anything, so she was treated with muscle relaxers. With no relief, her mom consulted a chiropractor who was planning to adjust her neck. Listening to her gut, her mom asked the chiropractor to order an MRI. Before she even made it home from the exam, she got a call stating she needed to take Millie to the emergency room right away. There was a 3 cm tumor on her cervical spine. A biopsy revealed a rare and aggressive tumor called Chordoma. She had surgery to remove part of her spine and replace it with a rod. This was followed by radiation.

Unfortunately, the cancer has now spread to her lungs, and she is on hospice care. Her mom is a big believer in miracles and asked that everyone keep Millie in their thoughts and prayers.

Left: One of Millie’s magnificent drawings.