When baby Kylie Sage Schneider began vomiting, her parents, Tia Weaver and Michael Schneider, thought she might simply have a stomach bug. They could never have imagined that a hospital visit would change their family’s lives forever.
Born on July 7 in Pennsylvania, Kylie was just 11 weeks old when doctors discovered a large tumor in her brain. What began as a precautionary trip to the emergency room quickly became a heartbreaking medical journey for the tiny girl and her family.
After spending the night in hospital for monitoring and fluids, Kylie underwent further testing. Then came the MRI results that no parent is ever prepared to hear.
Within hours, she was flown to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit.
Further tests confirmed that Kylie had Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT), a rare and aggressive childhood cancer. Even more devastatingly, the tumor had spread to her spine.
At just a few months old, Kylie faced a series of complex procedures. She underwent emergency surgery to drain fluid from her brain, followed by two major operations to remove the tumor. Doctors also placed a shunt and a Broviac catheter to support her treatment.
Her first six weeks at CHOP were spent in intensive care, surrounded by medical equipment and specialists working to help her recover.
But the challenges did not end there.
Kylie developed a fungal infection in her brain, forcing doctors to delay chemotherapy. After moving to the oncology ward, she began intensive treatment while undergoing additional surgeries, including procedures involving her shunt and the placement of a feeding tube.
Over the following months, her parents faced repeated hospital stays, scans, and anxious waits for results. Kylie spent another three months as an inpatient, with only a handful of days at home between chemotherapy cycles.
For Tia and Michael, every small step forward became something to hold on to.
“As parents, you dream of watching your children grow, reach milestones, and enjoy the simple things in life,” they might say of such a journey. “Never do you imagine spending these precious early months in hospital, hoping and praying for better days.”
After completing her induction chemotherapy, Kylie was finally able to return home to continue treatment. Her family made repeated trips to CHOP for each cycle, determined to stay beside her through every stage of the fight.
As she grew stronger, doctors were eventually able to place a port for treatment — something that had not been possible at the beginning because she was so small.
Kylie then moved on to maintenance chemotherapy, reaching cycle five of a planned 12 cycles.
For her family, every completed treatment represented another milestone in a journey no baby should have to face.
But after cycle five, they began noticing changes in Kylie, bringing fresh concern after everything she had already endured.
Behind her medical journey is also a little girl who is deeply loved by her parents and big sister, Brynlee. While much of Kylie’s infancy has been shaped by hospital rooms and treatment schedules, her family continues to hold on to the hope of giving her more time to grow, smile, and experience the childhood she deserves.
