Community Compassion: Serafina’s Wish Fulfilled in Ave Maria

Serafina’s radiant smile reflects the resilience and joy that define her spirit. COURTESY PHOTO

Serafina Feger was two years old when she was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a defect on the 17th chromosome that affects the body’s production of nerve fibromas and causes tumors to form in the brain, spinal cord and nerves.

The diagnosis came after Serafina began experiencing a progression of weakness and pain, specifically on the right side of her body. Following a series of neurological tests and scans, it was revealed that Serafina had a low-grade Glioma infiltrating her spinal cord, brainstem and cerebellum.

The uncertainty of the situation was what troubled parents Elizabeth and Brett Feger. NF1 traditionally appears as a gene that is passed down from parent to child; in Serafina’s case, it spontaneously developed as a de novo mutation. Additionally, the diffused nature of Serafina’s brain tumor made it difficult to predict how it would affect her lifestyle.

“It was certainly shocking. You kind of go through that whole array of thoughts like, she could have all these things happen to her and there’s a chance that she’s going to suffer tremendously. You just don’t know,” Elizabeth said. “That’s the thing about NF1. They can live an absolutely next-to-normal life with very little symptoms, or they could experience very severe symptoms.”

COURTESY PHOTOS

The Fegers recounted that one of the more difficult parts of this journey was seeing the effects it had on the rest of their children, specifically Serafina’s older sister.

“I think it’s obviously hard at first because she lost her playmate. Her everyday playmate who was suddenly sitting on the couch in an excruciating amount of pain,” Elizabeth said.

“We were really trying to make sure that she maintained as normal of a schedule as possible and that we were talking to her through it, allowing her to be a part of the experience,” Brett said. “I think that’s the best way that she would be able to process and cope, versus being completely removed from it and having more thoughts of ‘What’s going on?’”

Serafina beams with happiness as she explores her new playground set. MAKE-A-WISH SOUTHERN FLORIDA

Deeply ingrained in the town of Ave Maria, Brett and Elizabeth Feger found solace through the support of their community. As long-time town residents and staff members of Ave Maria University, the Fegers turned to their friends, family and faith to get through the difficult times.

“We were really surrounded by the community here. The support we received from the university, as well as the town, was just incredible,” Elizabeth said.

In addition to the chemotherapy and MEK inhibitor used to treat Serafina’s condition, the Fegers believed that supplementing treatment with natural care was imperative in aiding the young girl’s health journey.

“Seek out care beyond normal medicine. We have a naturopathic oncologist in Arizona because you’ve got to find ways to support the body while it’s going through treatment,” Brett said. “Be flexible and seek the best care you can in multiple ways.”

On the road to recovery, Serafina has now returned to doing what she loves most: playing with her sisters. This January, Make-A-Wish Southern Florida granted now three-year-old Serafina a brand-new playset, which will serve as a long-lasting source of fun childhood memories for her and her siblings.

“Serafina loves to play with her sisters and so, this gives her an opportunity to play with her sisters every day and even share it with her friends,” Brett said. “It’ll serve the girls for years to come, and even our son, who is due in a couple of months.”

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