'There is always hope'

HURON — It is difficult to look at 2-year-old Huron girl Macy Slisher, affectionately known to her family as "Mighty Macy," and see a hospital patient. With her bright smile, a repertoire of more than 100 baby sign language gestures and a chemo cap sometimes adorned with a Cinderella bun, Macy radiates a joy that belies the harrowing journey she has endured. Whenever she encounters someone new, she immediately stops to say "Hello," expecting the entire outside world to be just as friendly as the nurses who have become her extended family over the past year. But behind that cheerful disposition is a story of unimaginable resilience. The diagnosis Last June, at just 17 months old, the Huron toddler was diagnosed with a high-grade brain tumor. After emergency brain surgery, a bout of meningitis, six months of inpatient for chemotherapy and 30 rounds of proton radiation, Macy is preparing to ring the end-of-treatment bell at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland on June 12. For her parents, Brent and Cherise Slisher, the upcoming milestone is a testament to faith, medical dedication and a little girl's unyielding spirit. "I didn't even think she would make it to her second birthday," Cherise said, reflecting on the darkest days of the diagnosis. "Seeing her a year later, seeing all the things that we never thought we'd see, like her starting to take her first steps, it's just incredible and such a blessing. There is always hope." The journey began in April of last year when Macy was 15 months old. She started exhibiting unusual symptoms, including vomiting and a noticeable right-sided weakness that delayed her walking. Initially, doctors pursued a gastrointestinal diagnosis. The Slishers made three trips to the emergency room, but Cherise's maternal instinct told her something much more severe was happening. "If a doctor isn't taking you seriously about your child's health concerns, definitely keep pushing," Cherise advised other parents. "If you are concerned about something, go with that. You know your child best." That persistence paid off during a crucial hospital visit when a scan finally revealed the true cause of Macy's decline: a baseball-sized tumor in her brain. The situation escalated instantly. Macy was rushed by ambulance to UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. There was little time to process the devastating news. The tumor had caused a midline shift in Macy's brain, requiring immediate, emergency surgery. A trial by fire The surgery was only the first hurdle. Following the operation, the Slishers noted that Macy developed meningitis, complicating her recovery. Six weeks after her diagnosis, her oncology team, led by Dr. Duncan Stearns at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, made the difficult decision to begin chemotherapy while she was still being treated for the infection. It was a move the family described as a "risky thing" that ultimately paid off. It was a high-stakes gamble to combat a remarkably rare variant of a brain tumor. Brent noted that in the largest retrospective study of this specific variant, there were only about 63 documented cases. "All the literature pointed to pretty good outcomes if you treat it very thoroughly," Brent said. "She had a very good early response. By the time she completed the first three rounds of chemo, it was virtually gone." While Macy fought for her life in the pediatric intensive care unit, often called PICU, the Slisher family was navigating profound changes at home. Just a month before Macy began showing symptoms, the couple learned they were expecting their fifth child. Maintaining a sense of normalcy for their four older children, the oldest being 10, became a daily challenge. The community stepped in to help bridge the gap. Their church raised funds through a virtual baby shower, and the Norwalk-based Piggyback Foundation provided vital support to keep the family afloat during the prolonged hospitalization. Through it all, the family remained open with their older children. "At the beginning, things were pretty dicey," Brent said. "I was just honest with the older kids. I told them we don't know how long we have Macy, but we will love her for each day we have her. They have handled it super well." Macy finally came home for the first time just two days before Cherise gave birth to the family's newest addition, who is now five months old. The spirit of a fighter Throughout six grueling rounds of chemotherapy and her current daily proton radiation treatments at Cincinnati Children's, Macy's spirit has remained unbroken. "She has always been a really happy baby from the second she was born," Cherise said. "Even when she was in the PICU, she would smile at the nurses and wave and say, 'Hi.' I think that kept us very optimistic through it all." The toddler's sunny disposition quickly made her a favorite among the medical staff. When her treatment required shaving her head, she simply wore her princess-themed chemo hats and kept waving. That light has also profoundly shifted her parents' perspective on life. "Our time is more intentional," Cherise said. "We are pretty busy people and this has forced us to slow down and focus on the most important things, which is our family and our children." The Slishers also credit their deep faith for carrying them through the unbearable moments. "God knew all of Macy's days before she was born," Brent said. "He gave us the opportunity to rely on Him through all that she is going through and He knows what is to come. We know He will give us strength for whatever the next steps are." Looking to the future On June 12, Macy will ring the bell, marking the end of her active cancer treatment. It is a day of profound gratitude, though the Slishers are candid about the reality of pediatric cancer. The end of treatment does not mean the end of the journey: Macy will require scans every three months to monitor for microscopic residual disease, a period Brent describes as a time of "gritting your teeth" until she hits the five-year clear mark. The couple is also preparing for the long-term cognitive and physical impacts the tumor and treatments may have on Macy's developing brain, ensuring they give her the tools to overcome any learning obstacles she may face. But for now, the family is focused on the immediate joys of simply being together. In August, they will travel to Maryland for their first family vacation since the ordeal began. They are looking forward to watching Macy enjoy the simple pleasures she has been denied over the last 12 months, like taking a real bath instead of a sponge bath and finally getting the chance to just be a kid. "I hope that she grows up to do great things," Brent said. "Not only that this would strengthen her in her own faith as she grows but also that she would take what she has been through and use it for good." Those wishing to follow along with Macy's continued journey can find updates on her Facebook page, "Mighty Macy."