Alex and Ani Celebrates Life of Six-Year Old with Pediatric Brain Tumor

Alex and Ani Celebrates Life of Six-Year Old with Pediatric Brain Tumor

Alex and Ani recently welcomed the Doran family from Connecticut to celebrate six-year-old Lea Doran, who was recently diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) — highly aggressive and difficult to treat brain tumors. 

Doran was joined by parents Mike and Christa and sister Keira to visit Doran’s aunt, Alex and Ani Vice President Margaret Doran Lembke, for a party that included bracelet making, donuts and ice cream, and several dozen Alex and Ani staffers — and founder Carolyn Rafaelian — in an effort to bolster Lea and her family's spirits during the difficult time, and raise awareness for DIPG. 

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“DIPG is an inoperable brain tumor that resides in the brain stem. It typically affects children between the ages of 5 and 8 and only about 350 children are diagnosed each year,” Mike Doran told GoLocal.

“Right now there’s no treatment, there’s no cure. Treatments that are being developed are in the early phases of development. Nothing has been proven or shown to help these children long-term. A diagnosis of DIPG is a very bleak diagnosis," said Doran. 

"That being said, there are amazing things being done, in terms of immune-therapy, teaching the body how to recognize the cancerous cells, said Doran. "There are exciting things on the horizon — and that research, and what’s found in that research will transcend against many different types of cancer.  So finding a cure, or treatment for DIPG, is finding a treatment or cure for many different types of cancer."

In Rhode Island, East Greenwich’s Neil Fachon fought the FDA for the right to continue an experimental therapy, before passing away after his battle against DIPG in 2017. Fachon's parents continue to fight for “right to try” legislation, to allow families to determine what treatment to seek, regardless of FDA approval. 

“The future could be helpful with continued support, continued research dollars, putting more money towards pediatric cancer research,” said Doran. “Right now the percentage of dollars given is in the single digits. And our children are dying.  We need support — we need people not affected by this to step up and support those that are.”

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Joining the Dorans at Alex and Ani for the party was Denis Murphy, whose own daughter, Jaclyn, had battled a pediatric brain tumor.

The Murphys experience with paring Jaclyn with the Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse team — who supported Jaclyn during her battle — led the family to form “Friends of Jaclyn,” to pair youth diagnosed with pediatric brain tumors with teams, and raise awareness and improve the quality of life of the families. 

For more information on Friends of Jaclyn, go here.