June 3  Update:

Sometimes it feels like our lives are measured in milestones, scans, surgeries, treatments, and appointments.

Today feels like one of those milestones.

Two weeks ago, Braelyn completed all 28 proton radiation treatments. Finishing radiation was both a relief and a little emotional. For months, every decision we made was focused on getting to that finish line. Now, for the first time in a long time, we are looking ahead to something new.

Braelyn and I arrived safely in London last week and have already completed her pre-apheresis evaluation at King’s College Hospital.

King’s College Hospital is not exactly a place anyone puts on a London bucket list. Most visitors come here to see palaces, cathedrals, castles, and Crown Jewels. We came here for treatment under Prof. Ashkan and his team, including Dr. Mehra and Dr. Prasad. While that is the reason for our journey, we are incredibly grateful that it has brought us to one of the world’s most famous and historic cities, allowing us to experience its remarkable sights, stories, and history along the way.

This past weekend, we walked through nearly a thousand years of British history at Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London. This week, we walked into a place where the future is being written. One preserves treasures from the past; the other is working to create more time for families like ours.

We met with Dr. Mehra and the team who will be overseeing the next phase of treatment. Everything went well, and Braelyn remains on schedule for leukapheresis on June 10th.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the process, leukapheresis is the procedure where doctors collect some of Braelyn’s immune cells. Those cells will then be sent to the manufacturing facility where they will be combined with material created from her own tumor tissue to produce a personalized DCVax vaccine.

In many ways, this feels like the moment we have been working toward for months.

The surgery at UCLA. The tumor tissue preservation. The radiation. The travel planning. The fundraising. The countless phone calls and paperwork. Every step has been leading us here.

While we are incredibly hopeful, we also continue to navigate the realities of recovery from brain surgery and radiation.

Over the past week, Braelyn has experienced some increased numbness on her right side and a mild worsening of her aphasia. Her doctors feel these symptoms may be related to post-radiation inflammation and the discontinuation of steroids. We are hopeful that continuing Avastin treatments when we return home will help control any potential swelling. We are monitoring her closely and remain in communication with her medical team.

Despite the challenges, she continues to amaze me.

Every day she pushes herself to keep reading, keep speaking, keep learning, and keep moving forward. Recovery is rarely a straight line. Some days are challenging, while others are frustrating and a bit concerning. But she continues to keep pushing through.

One blessing of this trip is the opportunity to explore London together. Between appointments, we are visiting historic sites, riding buses and the Underground, and conquering my fear of big-city public transportation. We are thankful for being able to make these wonderful memories together in the midst of a difficult journey.

Most importantly, we remain deeply grateful.

Thank you to every person who has prayed, donated, shared our story, sent encouraging messages, and walked alongside our family. There are days when the road feels overwhelming, but your support continually reminds us that we are not walking it alone.

As we look toward June 10th and the beginning of the vaccine manufacturing process, we would be grateful for prayers for:

• A successful leukapheresis procedure

• Strong, healthy immune cells for vaccine production

• Smooth and successful manufacturing of the DCVax vaccine

• Reduction of post-radiation swelling and neurological symptoms

• Continued healing and restoration of speech and right-sided function

• Wisdom for the doctors caring for Braelyn

• Strength, peace, and endurance for our family

King’s College Hospital may never be as famous as Westminster Abbey or Tower Bridge.

But for our family, it represents something even more valuable:

Hope.

And after everything Braelyn has endured over the last three years, hope is a destination worth traveling 4,000 miles to find. ❤️🇬🇧🇺🇸

For regular updates and to follow Braelyn’s journey, you can also find me on X: @HollensbeAmanda

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Charlie James, from Charlie James Show on The WYRD FM interviewed Mandy about Cure Not Covered and shared about the benefit concert on Sunday, Nov. 9th from 2-4 PM at Central Roller Mills. Listen here!

Fox Carolina 21's Tori Carmen interviews Mandy about the Day of Prayer for Braelyn! Watch the video here!