About Gloria
Saile and Gloria at a recent surprise birthday party | fundraiser held by the Dallas St. Monica JCDA 6th Grade class for Gloria. Judy Phister, owner and fellow St. Monica parishioner of Painting with a Twist on Lovers Lane, is shown giving hugs and the fundraising check to Saile after the JCDA 6th Grade girls painted, “Angel of Hope” at Gloria’s surprise birthday party.
Gloria, my beautiful daughter, is a beacon of light and strength. From the moment she was born, she brought immense joy and love into our lives. With her sparkling eyes and infectious smile, she has always had a way of lighting up any room she enters. Gloria’s love for arts and crafts, her keen interest in animals, and her endless curiosity about the world around her have always been a testament to her vibrant and spirited nature.
Luke 18:16 “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for such is the kingdom of God”.
In February, 2024, Gloria began experiencing nausea, upset stomach and frequent headaches, which she had never had before. Her pediatrician referred us to a GI doctor to schedule an endoscopy, stool test and colonoscopy to find out more about the stomach problems she was having. Our world turned upside down on March 18, 2024, when I was dropping Gloria off at St. Monica Catholic School. Gloria had an absent seizure. We rushed her to the emergency room at Medical City Children’s Dallas. The CT and MRI scans revealed a devastating diagnosis. Gloria had a High Grade Glioma brain tumor on the left side of Gloria’s brain. Several weeks later, genetic testing from Nationwide Children’s Hospital revealed she had a Diffuse Midline Glioma H3K27M, along with other mutations. We were told there are no treatments or protocols in place, except for proton or conventional radiation.
On March 21, 2024, Dr. Sacco removed the entire tumor, giving us a glimmer of hope. Per Dr. Sacco, Gloria needed to start proton radiation no later than April 22, 2024, but I faced an unexpected hurdle when the insurance company denied approval. After a stressful delay, Gloria finally began her proton radiation treatments on May 9, 2024. She bravely completed a total of 33 sessions, which concluded on June 14, 2024. Throughout this period, Gloria endured more than just her treatments. She had two trips to the emergency room: once on May 8, 2024, for severe chest pain and pressure, and again on June 30, 2024, for severe headaches and vomiting. Following her second emergency room visit on June 30, 2024, Gloria was sent home on palliative care with a prognosis of just a few weeks. Dr. Sacco and Dr. Ghisoli and the oncology team told us that Gloria’s tumor was growing back and extending in other places in her brain and that additional surgery was not an option.
Since March, I have contacted several hospitals, doctors and cancer associations. I contacted St. Jude Children’s Hospital and, in an email, written by Ms. Laboe, we found out that she was not accepted at St. Jude because there were not clinical trials available for her. In my research, I found a promising option by Dr. Bowers at Children’s Health in Dallas, which offers a drug called ONC201, but unfortunately, in May 2024, Gloria was not eligible for the trial because she had undergone proton radiation instead of conventional radiation. Determined to find a solution, I spent countless nights researching and found out that Gloria could receive the ONC201 drug through Chimerix with expanded access. However, this requires a doctor to submit the request on her behalf, and we were unable to find a U.S. doctor to do so. I joined an online group on Facebook and learned that Dr. Arnold in Germany could prescribe ONC201 for Gloria. I reached out to Dr. Arnold and he could prescribe ONC201, but I needed a letter stating that Chimerix denied her request for expanded access. I was not able to get a letter from Chimerix to send to Dr. Arnold, but Dr. Arnold still gave us an appointment and prescribed the German version of ONC201, which is called Imipridone201. I traveled to Germany on Sept 2nd and picked up the medication. The next refill is the end of November. Gloria is also getting Avastin infusions, a treatment known to starve tumors in adult patients with Glioblastoma.
Gloria’s next MRI was serindipitously on November 11th. We found out the tumor was shrinking and the medication is working!
Throughout Gloria’s journey, the support from friends, family, and various organizations has been a beacon of light in some of our darkest times. Each act of kindness creates special memories and brings immense joy to Gloria and our family. Our church and school community from St. Monica has been as strong as Samson! The JCDA (Junior Catholic Daughters of America), PTO and the Dad’s Club have raised funds for Gloria. Gloria has a Give Send Go, MealTrain, and even had a T-shirt fundraiser with a Gloria’s Gladiators logo. The fifth-grade boys created a lemonade fundraiser, and restaurants like Penne Pomodoro and The Garrott family, donated a percentage of sales from their clothing boutique. Gloria received “Prayers For Gloria” bracelets from her teacher. Additionally, several fundraisers were held in Monterrey, Mexico, and in Mexico City by family and friends. Another significant fundraiser was “United For Gloria” where more than 10 local bands performed in Plano, TX. Another fundraising event had 7 bands perform in Dallas, TX. Gloria was gifted a truck for a raffle, which was used to raise additional funds. The funds raised from all these events have been used to pay for Gloria’s medical expenses and therapies. The amount of support we’ve received is indescribable, and I am so grateful for everyone who has contributed.
“Have Faith. Be Brave and Courageous. Love Animals and Love Your Brothers and Sisters.” – Gloria
I want to publicly thank the anonymous person who applied for Gloria to receive an Apostolic Blessing from Pope Francis. The blessing is on parchment paper and is a recognition of Gloria’s faith and devotion. She feels connected directly to the Pope’s mission and is devoted to God.
Gloria received the very special gift and message by mail. This message carries the weight of the Holy See and embodies the blessing of our beloved father Pope Francis. Gloria received The Apostolic Blessing on parchment. Receiving this blessing is a recognition of Gloria’s faith and devotion. She feels connected directly to the Pope’s mission and is devoted to God. We do not know who made this gift possible. I asked our wish maker, Rocio, from Make A Wish Foundation but she did not make this wish possible. Whoever it is, know that we are incredibly grateful. I understand this blessing is difficult to obtain, especially in such a short amount of time.
Dr. Sacco, Gloria’s neurosurgeon, referred Gloria to the Make A Wish Foundation and Gloria had to come up with two wishes. Her first wish was to have a private audience with Pope Francis, and her second wish was to donate money to Medical City Childrens Hospital Oncology Ward. Although she was unable to meet the Pope, the Foundation honored her second wish by organizing a shopping spree. She purchased blankets and is almost finished making gift bags which are filled with small tokens of love and care for children going through similar battles.
The outpouring of support from our community has been overwhelming. Friends, extended family, and even strangers have rallied around us, offering everything from meals and household help to emotional support and prayers. The kindness and generosity we’ve experienced have been a constant reminder that we are not alone in this fight.
Thank you for reading the story of my beautiful daughter, Gloria.
Saile V. Ovalle
“We Do Not Question God’s Plan, Because It’s Inappropriate To Do So.” – Gloria
