Francisco was an 8-year-old boy whose fight with DIPG, a devasting pediatric brain cancer, forced him to understand life and death far too young. He had to think about something no child should have to, leaving his family behind.

But even as he faced the unimaginable, Francisco found ways to bring comfort to the people he loved.

“Heaven Talks”

Francisco talked with his mom about death and what he believed came after in conversations he called “Heaven Talks.”

Francisco also planned the parts of his end-of-life celebration that an 8-year-old could control. He chose the colors everyone would wear. He wanted tacos and space decorations at his post-funeral party. He even wrote down guidelines for how he wanted his family to care for him in his final moments.

These were some of the few decisions Francisco could still make for himself, and his family made sure his wishes were honored.

A Final Gift for His Family

As DIPG progressed, Francisco lost the use of his hands. With the help of his art therapist, he created a special piece of art for his family to open after he was gone.

He made sure they remembered to wait.

No peeking.

It was one more gift Francisco carefully planned for the people he loved—something from him that they could hold on to after saying goodbye.

The Devastating Reality of DIPG

He was 8.

DIPG, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, is an aggressive brain tumor that most often affects children. Because it grows within the pons, an area of the brainstem responsible for many essential functions, the tumor cannot usually be removed through surgery.

The prognosis remains devastating. Recent registry research involving hundreds of children found a median survival of approximately 11 months following diagnosis. Only about 10% of those diagnosed with DIPG survive for two years, and approximately 2% survive for five years.

For many families, that means children are being asked to process death when they should be thinking about school, friends, what is for dinner, and what they want to be when they grow up.

Francisco planned how he wanted to be cared for, how he wanted to be remembered, and how his family would celebrate his life.

He was 8.

Carrying Francisco’s Fight Forward

And now after all his preparations, he is finally able to rest after his fight, and his family has taken on the fight.

“It was his fearlessness of life and death that made us embrace every moment and truly celebrate every second we were blessed enough to spend with him. He was a gift to everyone that met him.” - Mom

Children deserve long lives. They deserve more birthdays. They deserve more of the ordinary moments that mark a full life.

They deserve a cure.

You can give in Francisco’s memory: https://p2p.thecurestartsnow.org/2059?src=Francisco