Cinnaminson Girl Stays Positive Amid Battle With Brain Cancer

CINNAMINSON, NJ - A nine-year-old Cinnaminson girl who has been battling brain cancer for two years is staying upbeat despite treatments that have at times made her sick and left some doctors in the dark.

When nine-year-old Maddie Harris began experiencing nausea and vomiting every day for two weeks last March, her parents became concerned. They began taking her to the emergency room, and no one could tell them what was happening. Eventually, an MRI revealed an inflammation on her brain.

The Eleanor Rush Intermediate School fourth-grader underwent a series of treatments, but a follow-up MRI last August revealed that the inflammation had grown. In November, she was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer known as glioma.

“She’s had her childhood taken away from her, but she is so positive,” her mother, Cindy Harris, said. “ … I have a shirt that says, ‘most people never meet their superhero. I gave birth to mine.’”
After being diagnosed, Maddie Harris immediately went into chemotherapy treatments, but when that didn’t work, the doctors turned to radiation treatments. One radiation treatment made her sick, and it may or may not have worked.

“She had an MRI on Monday and it shrunk a little bit,” Cindy Harris said on Thursday. “It’s wonderful news, but they said they don’t know why. They’re not sure if it’s from the chemotherapy or the radiation treatment.”

It’s a frustrating situation for Maddie's parents, who wants their child to defeat cancer but don’t want to see her go through the sickness and pain related to radiation treatments again.

“When they called last week, they said they wanted to continue radiation treatment,” Cindy Harris said. “I said I need other opinions.”

She was referred to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and has since applied. If accepted, insurance will cover most of the costs, but there are some expenses the family will have to pay for.

“Travel costs will be paid for for me and Maddie, but my husband will want to be there, and he’ll have to pay for that,” Cindy Harris said. “Housing and food is covered.”

In the meantime, her parents are doing what they can to keep things as normal for her as possible.

“When she’s feeling good, you’d probably never know she was sick,” Cindy Harris said. “She says she feels like a normal child.”

She is close with her 10-year-old brother, whose soccer team launched an online fundraiser to help pay for medical bills. Maddie’s Miracle Squad has raised $2,525 as of Friday morning, Feb. 15. To donate, visit gofundme.com. In addition to the donations, her neighbors and community members have sent cards and put together meal trains for the family in their time of need.

“The outpouring of love and support has been incredible,” Cindy Harris said. “I never expected the community to reach out like this.”

The Cinnaminson police and fire departments are holding a Battle of the Badges event at the Whistlers Inn on Saturday, March 23, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event is a wing-eating competition with three different timed rounds throughout the night. A generous portion of the proceeds from any food or beverage purchased during this time will be donated to the Harris Family. There will also be several amazing items up for auction, the police department said. More information about that event is still to come.

GoFundMe is a promotional partner of Patch. The attached image is from the Maddie’s Miracle Squad fundraiser.