In 2023, two Cincinnati families were thrust into an unimaginable reality that no parent should ever have to face. Their sons, just toddlers at the time, were both diagnosed with the same rare and aggressive brain cancer: Ependymoma. In the midst of their personal battles, these families became more than caregivers. They became advocates, warriors, and a united force in the fight for a cure.

Wyatt Reber was just 3½ years old when his family began noticing symptoms that seemed mild at first. A few episodes of dizziness, some headaches, and occasional vomiting raised concern, eventually prompting an MRI. That scan changed everything. Almost immediately, Wyatt was rushed into surgery, marking the beginning of a long and grueling journey. His days quickly became filled with MRIs, countless medications, port accesses, dressing changes, eye gels, and patches. Through every moment in his battle, his parents, Alexa and Matt, remained in awe of their gentle, sweet-hearted, cowboy hat-wearing little boy.

Just seven months later, and only 30 minutes away, another family would join this heartbreaking journey. Wyatt Thomas, a 4-year-old with a love for the Bengals football team, was also diagnosed with Ependymoma. His parents, Amanda and Jared, suddenly had to learn an entirely new world. They had to figure out how to explain to their young son what it meant to "kick cancer’s butt" and help him feel brave as he took his "sleepy medicine" before MRIs.

Early in their journeys, both families were shocked to learn how few treatment options existed for children with this type of cancer. Despite how devastating and frequent childhood brain cancer is, research remains tragically underfunded. The lack of options wasn’t just discouraging. It was unacceptable.

Now, two years later, the Reber and Thomas families have embraced a new mission. They are no longer just fighting for their own sons. They are fighting for every child who receives a brain cancer diagnosis. Through advocacy, fundraising, and community outreach, they have become champions for change. Their goal is to fund critical research, raise awareness, and advocate for better treatments with the ultimate hope of finding a cure.

Their story is one of heartbreak, resilience, and relentless hope. Because no family should walk this road alone, and every child deserves a future.

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