LAUREL CO., Ky. (LEX 18) — A Laurel County nine-year-old has been diagnosed with a highly aggressive cancerous brain tumor.
Since this happened in January, the Miniard Family has been making regular trips to Lexington from their home in London, Kentucky, so Destiny can get treatments.
"She's walking ten times better than she was. Four or five days ago she wasn't even walking," Marsha Miniard said.
Making the most of every day, Destiny is trying to remain in good spirits after being diagnosed last month with DIPG.
"It's not stopping me now. I play just like the other kids," Destiny said.
Destiny's mother, Marsha, reflected on how Miniards' lives instantly changed on Jan. 8.
"We noticed that she was kinda walking, high stepping and her balance was off, so immediately our mind goes to middle ear infection," Marsha said.
By the next morning, Destiny lost movement in her left arm, and the Miniards went to their doctor in London.
That doctor advised the Miniards to go straight to the hospital, thinking Destiny had stroke symptoms. From there, they headed to Corbin.
"Within two hours of being there, they came back and sat us down and said they found a brain tumor," Marsha noted.
Talking with us at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass, Marsha described Destiny's treatments.
"Do the radiation, really intense, six weeks, thirty treatments, five days a week," Marsha added.
Destiny was diagnosed a little more than a week before her ninth birthday, Jan. 21. Now, the Miniard Family is working to adjust to their new reality.
"Only 300 kids a year in the U.S. get this. It's extremely rare," Marsha said.
T-shirts provided by Destiny's aunt a few days ago read, "Faith in Destiny."
"If we all had faith like her, we'd be alright, we'd be okay," Marsha noted.
According to the DIPG Resource Network, the survival rate is 8-11 months for DIPG patients.
For the Miniards, along with conversations with doctors in Lexington, Kentucky and Ann Arbor, Michigan, the next move is to make sure Destiny gets to enjoy her favorite activities, like swimming, and a trip to Disney World.
A GoFundMe to support the Miniards is available at Fundraiser for John Miniard by Nikki Goodman: Stand with Destiny through her fight with DIPG
