Girl’s inoperable brain tumor disappears, parents claim ‘God healed Roxli’
When 11-year-old Roxli Doss from Hays County, Texas, was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a rare and inoperable tumor, her family was left heartbroken.
She experienced headaches, nausea, and double vision for some time and her parents brought her to the hospital for a check-up. But, little did they know the news would be devastating.
They were informed how Roxli’s tumor was very aggressive and difficult to treat which is why they claim God had his share in making the cancer disappear completely after she received her treatments.
Speaking of the time they learned of Roxli’s condition, her father, Scott Doss, said: “It was the worst news we could have had.”
“At Dell Children’s, Texas Children’s, at Dana-Farber, at John Hopkins, and MD Anderson, all agreed it was DIPG.”
All of the doctors who saw Roxli’s scans agreed how this tumor was very rare.
“It is a devastating disease. You have decreased ability to swallow, sometimes vision loss, decreased ability to talk, eventually difficulty with breathing,” said Dr. Virginia Harrod of Dell Children’s Hospital. “We don’t have a cure. This is considered a terminal diagnosis.”
Soon after the diagnosis, Roxli underwent 11 weeks of radiation and during the whole time, her mommy and daddy prayed to God and asked from him to save their girl.
Betty White’s 98th birthday party plan sounds like a dream
Betty White, whose television career as an actress and entertainer spans incredible 80 years, is turning 98 on January 17!
Speaking to Closer Weekly, one of her closest friends unveiled Betty’s plans for the big day. “It will be at her home with her longtime friends and stepchildren,” she said. “She’s still close with them and their children. They’ll order food in and have fun.”As her fans are still speaking of her last year’s celebration that was all about poker and a huge cake with her besties, they are eagerly waiting to see if this year’s party will top that one. But for Betty, who loves being part of the Hollywood glam and whose life right now revolves around “laughing and telling good stories,” reaching another magnificent year that she can spend around those she loves is all that matters.View this post on Instagram
What’s the secret behind a successful and long life like that of America’s sweetheart Betty? Well, asked about it back in 2018, she told Parade, “You just keep plugging away. You don’t give up.” “Enjoy life,” she said. “Accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, ‘Hey, that was great!’ It’s not hard to find great stuff if you look.” Happy Birthday Betty and many more to come! You are a true diva and a true inspiration to all of us!
Twins find wallet with cash, take a look at disabled veteran’s ID and knock on his door
How many times has it happened to you to lose your wallet, your keys, or even important documents? I know it happens to me very often. Luckily, I always find them in some of my drawers.
But when you lose something out of your house, you only hope an honest person will stumble upon it and give it back to you before you lose hope of ever finding it again.
Honestly, not many people will ever return a wallet with cash, but luckily for one veteran, his was found by two twin sisters with a heart of gold.
14-year-old Makhia and Makyla Vincent from Detroit spotted the wallet in the snow while on their way to school.
They took it in their hands and opened it in hopes of finding out who the owner might be. Inside, there were several credit cards and hundred of dollars in cash along with an ID. The girls didn’t even think twice before they decided to return it to the person who lost it.
Speaking to WJBK, Makyla, whose granddad is also a retired military man, said: “I would hate if that was my granddad and that happened to him, so I knew we had to return it.”
The wallet belonged to a disabled veteran named Marc Walsh who served with the Marine Corps.
The twins rushed to Marc’s address because they didn’t want him to worry. When they knocked on his door, Marc wasn’t home so they held the wallet up to the security camera before they left it on the the front step.
When he got home, his roommate told Marc how his wallet was there and as he really wanted to know who the generous person who brought him his money and credit cards back was, the two checked the security system.
Looking at the footage, Marc’s heart filled with joy as he knew there are still good people out there, and his angels were teens who were obviously brought up the right way.
And just as Marc thought he can never thank the sisters in person, WJBK arranged them to meet. Mack told them how much their act meant to him as he was struggling to find a job at the time. On top of that, he got to pay them back with a generous gesture himself.
This lovely story restores our faith in humanity, especially because the good doers are just teens.
US soldier killed in Kenyan terrorist attack identified as 23-year-old Army Specialist
Serving the country abroad is never easy. Many military members stay away from their families for a very long time and only hope to see each other again before undertaking another military feat.
Devastating news came on Sunday after the Department of Defense identified Army Specialist Henry Mayfield Jr. as one of the three Americans who lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Kenya.
“This was a senseless act of violence that has changed our lives forever. Our son was a great big brother, cousin and above all he was an awesome person,” Tawanna Cottenfinner, Mayfield Jr.’s aunt said.
23-year-old Mayfielf Jr. was killed during the al-Shabab forces attack of Manda Bay Airfield, a military base where he was stationed. This brave man joined the army while he was still in college and last spoke to his mom Carmoneta via FaceTime on New Year’s Eve when he assured her everything was going to be just fine.
“He told me everything would be okay. Those were his last words to me,” she told NBC 5 Chicago.
One of the reasons why Mayfield Jr. joined the Army was because he couldn’t afford to pay for his university studies. He enrolled Northern Illinois University, but left it only a year later.
“He couldn’t really afford college, so he figured that the Army would help him through that,” his father, Henry Mayfield Sr. told the Chicago Tribune.
“He was looking for better opportunities, but also he enjoyed serving,” Mayfield Sr. said. “He was that kind of kid. He would help. It fit him. It was good for him. He enjoyed being in the Army.”
Rest in Peace brave man, you will never be forgotten as your sacrifice for your country was the ultimate.
Teen sisters killed in a car crash – one sends a heartbreaking text before she died
No parent should ever suffer the loss of their children. Sadly for the Alexander family, they lost their both daughters in a devastating car crash that took place near their home in Port Hills, New Zealand.
When Jason Alexander got the call that night, his heart tore apart. His 17-year-old daughter Tayla died right away, and 15-year-old Sunmara was critically injured and was fighting for her life.
The car was driven by a 19-year-old man and just hours before the vehicle crashed and was set on fire, Tayla sent her friend a chilling text message saying she would die that night.
“Bro, I’m gonna die tonight,” the text read, according to Stuff.co.uk.
Mournfully, Sunmara had severe burns and succumbed to the injuries on December 31, the day of her birthday.
Stuff.co.uk wrote how Tayla sent a follow up text message to the same friend writing, “I’ve never been driven around the Port Hills so fast before.”
The family couldn’t believe what had happened. Two lives were lost, and Jason was both heartbroken and angry.
“I can imagine obviously that my girls were scared, but anger’s not going to solve anything and [the driver] still a kid himself. He had two beautiful girls in the car and he was just showing off.
‘Everything just got taken away from me’
“I forgive him, he’s just young himself. Being angry or bringing hate into it isn’t going to change anything, it isn’t going to bring Tayla and Sunmara back.”
“My whole life just got ripped out from under me, everything just got taken away from me in one night,” this father added.
“I had to watch my other daughter die in front of my eyes … I’m gutted.”
He now hopes the road where his girls died would be made safer so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else.
“Sunmara suffered so much, but hopefully not in vain. I would love to see that road sorted and more barriers up.”
This is such a tragic incident. We are deeply saddened by the loss of the Alexander family.
Three-year-old gives her view on forgiveness and it’s blowing our minds
Saying ‘sorry’ and offering forgiveness is something only the bravest of us are ready to give. Many times, we tend to stay mad and feel angry because the words and the actions of others hurt us deeply. But feeling this way only makes things worse and doesn’t allow us to experience the relief of forgiving.
I once read that the reason why young children don’t tend to stay mad at one another long after they fight is because their happiness is more important to them than being right. And when you think about it, they are completely right.
A 3-year-old reminds us of this and her wise words should serve as a lesson we should all learn from.
Mary Katherine Backstrom is a mother and a blogger who shared with us a tough bedtime hour with her sweet girl Holland. Well, I guess most parents can relate to the situation when they are exhausted and their little ones just won’t go to bed.
When she finally got her daughter to settle and was hoping to go to bed herself, Mary was left in awe by her daughter’s words.
“My daughter and I just had a knock-down, drag-out bedtime hour. Finally, about ten minutes ago, I put her to bed and through clinched teeth said ‘I love you, Holland, but not another word tonight. You are going to sleep now. I’m done fussing over stuffed animals,’” Mary wrote on Facebook.
But Holland had something else on her mind and wanted her mother to know that.
“I DO have one more thing to say,” Holland said. “Of course she did. She was standing on the bed with her hands on her hips, too. Her hair was wild and she was using her arm to wipe her tears and snot away from her face,” wrote Mary. “Mommy…I FORGIVE YOU!!! Then she laid down and cried and honest to goodness, for a hot minute, I didn’t know what to do. The way she said ‘I forgive you’, made it sound like cuss words.” Mary then approached to Holland’s bed and asked her whether she knew what forgiveness really meant, to what the girl replied: “It means you were wrong, and I’m tired of being mad, and now I’m going to sleep and my heart won’t have a tummy ache.”This mother had no other option but to lay in her girl’s bed and shower her with love.
“I was reminded by my toddler to never go to bed in anger. Because when you do, your heart will have a tummy ache. And you know what? I’ve been alive for 35 years, and I’ve got to give it to her: She’s not wrong ❤️” Many fell in love with Holland’s action and more than 230,000 people commented on Mary’s post shared on her Facebook page, MomBabble. Who knew such a young lady could be so smart as to teach us adults a thing or two about forgiveness and the real values in life?Charming 4-year-old model with Down syndrome gets featured in American Girl catalog
Diversity is what makes this world a lovely place to be part of. And as it turns out, the famous doll company American Girl knows just how to highlight the beauty of being different.
Since they created their first doll back in 1986, the company has come a long way in offering little girls (and even adults) dolls that come with unique stories.
The best thing about this company is that its line of dolls portrays different girls from different cultures and religions and that adds to the belief that no matter where one lives, or their background, we all have our own beauty.
The October catalog featured lovely 4-year-old Ivy Kimble. She is wearing red dress and has her hair in ponytails while posing next to a Christmas tree with her doll in her hands. But what is special about Ivy is that she has Down Syndrome and is breaking barriers for other kids with the same condition. Beautiful and brave, what a combination.
Speaking of her daughter’s modeling, Ivy’s mom, Kristen Kimble told WLS-TV how this was a big deal for the little girl. “There’s not a lot of print or media with a lot of kids with Down syndrome.”
The spokeswoman of American Girl told People how working with Ivy was a real pleasure. “She’s adorable and great to work with, and the shots we capture with her for our holiday catalogs are beautiful.”
Someone as special as Ivy to be part of printed ads and a catalog seen by millions of people is truly an amazing experience and every mother’s dream.
Ivy being the face of American Girl isn’t just a huge achievement for her personally, but for all the other girls with Down Syndrome too. “For us, we want to keep seeing kids of all abilities out there in print.”
It was about time for the societies and the huge companies to foster inclusivity and offer those people and children with special needs same treatment and equal opportunities.
Kristen hopes other industries and corporations would follow American Girl’s example.
Ivy’s photos sparked up conversations about children with Down Syndrome and print modeling. Many people said how she is the cutest little girl out there and admired her confidence and passion for what she did.
“Every child is beautiful in their own way. It is important to recognize childhood is a beautiful thing, and every child deserves to feel like the most precious gift,” wrote Bridget Molloy in the comment section of People.
People loved the idea of a model with Down Syndrome because that’s a step forward towards complete inclusion.
Throughout the years, American Girl helped raise awareness regarding certain conditions by offering dolls with diabetes care kit and wheelchairs.
Having Ivy as part of their catalog made many young children become aware of their peers who have Down Syndrome. “My kids, people are asking them about Down syndrome now. ‘Oh, Ivy has Down syndrome, and she’s in the American Girl catalog?’” Kristen said. “Yeah, everyone can be an American Girl, and that’s the great thing about it.’“
Breast Cancer Vaccine Has Eliminated Cancer In Its First Human Patient
Scientists and researchers have been trying to create a vaccine that fights against cancer for so long, and finally, some great news have been published recently as the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida announced that they have been working on a vaccine that can prevent ovarian and breast cancer from occurring. They also stated how it would help prevent this type of cancer from affecting those who already had the disease.
The vaccine was said to work by harnessing the body’s immune system to detect cancer cells and kill them.
Success has been marked with the first human patient who received the vaccine but it will take at least several years for the study to be completely finished and the medicine be available for patients other than those included in the trial.
“It is reasonable to say that we could have a vaccine within eight years that may be available to patients through their pharmacy or their doctor,” said Keith L. Knutson, Ph.D., who is part of the Mayo Clinic.
When a woman named Lee Mercker was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer, she was offered to take part in the clinical trial and she was more than eager to accept the opportunity. In her case, the cancer was diagnosed very early and its cells were confined to her milk ducts.
“They always took your blood, you had a physical, they’d make your shot right there on the spot for you,” Mercker said. “It was three shots, all in a row, alternating arms, four shots, two weeks apart.”
Releasing more information regarding the clinical trial, one of the doctors involved in the study, Dr. Saranya Chumsri said:
“It’s supposed to stimulate a patient’s own immune response so that the immune cells like t-cells would go in and attack the cancer.”
Patient Mercker had to undergo a mastectomy as it was part of the trial. Using her breast tissue, researchers further examined the effects of the vaccine.
“That is the only way we know that everything was removed properly,” Chumsri said.
Great news came as it was determined that the vaccine did its part of the job and triggered the immune system to fight against the affected cells. As a result, the tumor was completely eliminated.
Mercker was happy she gave this trial a chance as it helped her get rid of the awful disease.
“I feel like I walked on the moon,” she said. “I worked in an industry with tons of women and I saw all kinds of stories, and it’d just be really nice to stamp this [breast cancer] out.”
Mayo Clinic is constantly working on finding cure for cancer and they are happy this vaccine may save many lives. Compared to other vaccines, this one is very easy to administer.
“It’s supposed to be just off the shelf, kind of similar to when you get the flu shot or pneumonia shot,” Chumsri said.
Currently, they are trying the vaccine they developed on two other patients. We hope it will work for them as it did for Mercker as it will give hope to many.
“We have seen early signals that our vaccines have a very positive impact on disease. We are building on that foundation,” Knutson said.
