Hailey Lamca, a JPA survivor, receives handheld blood analyzer
Hailey Lamca of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, was a healthy, active kid who loved to play soccer and excelled in school, but in 2017, she was diagnosed with a hypothalamic juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) at the age of 12.
Since her diagnosis she has had 11 surgeries and 6 weeks of proton radiation therapy and is now living with the side effects of her treatment.
According to her mother, Lesli, “she used to occasionally run high sodium levels and would need to drink a lot. Now her sodium levels are sometimes low and we need to limit her fluid intake. She also is prone to seizures and we think the fluctuations in sodium and hormone levels may be making her more susceptible.”
By having a blood analyzer at home, her sodium levels can be checked quickly instead of going for labs and waiting for results, which allows for more responsive care management. Sodium imbalances can be contributing factors to seizures, so keeping her sodium levels in a normal range on a regular basis will offset potential seizure activity.
Hailey is described as always happy, loves spending time with her family and friends and enjoys taking her dog, Beans, on daily walks. She also enjoys cooking and painting and watching sports since she can’t participate in competitive sports like she did in the past.
In the Fall of 2019, she was also adopted by the Princeton Women’s Soccer Team through The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation and has really enjoyed being a part of their team and cheering them on from the sidelines. Hailey lives with her mom, dad and older brother in New Jersey and her brother recently started college at Penn State, so the family is hopeful that maybe next fall she will be able to attend a Penn State football game in person. She will be celebrating her sweet sixteen in a few weeks.
Lesli says, “These last few years have definitely been challenging but she is a true warrior and inspiration to us all.”
The Raymond A. Wood Foundation relies on financial support to provide these devices to pediatric brain tumor survivors. You can help us continue our work through donating or joining us for our upcoming fundraiser — Sip & Style Virtual Fashion FUNraiser.
