ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A St. Lucie County family is holding onto every moment with their 3-year-old daughter after a devastating diagnosis, and they're not facing it alone.
Elizabeth Waner, described by her parents as a "very girly girl" who loves ballet, dancing, music and the color purple, is now in the fight of her life after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumor.
Even in a hospital room, her personality shines. Cozy in a red wagon and dressed in a purple princess gown, Elizabeth still finds ways to light up the space around her.
"Before the tumor hit, you couldn't not notice her," her father, Mark Waner, said. "She wouldn't let you not notice her."
Gina Waner, Elizabeth's mom, said it seems everything changed in a single day. After dropping Elizabeth off at daycare like any other morning, she noticed something was wrong when she picked her up.
"Her left eye just turned inward, and it just stayed stuck," she said.
Initial visits to an optometrist and ophthalmologist showed no issues with her eyes. But an MRI at a children’s hospital revealed the heartbreaking cause: a tumor on Elizabeth’s brain stem.
She was diagnosed with a high-grade glioma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. According to the American Brain Tumor Association, these tumors make up only about 10% of pediatric brain tumors.
"She has like the second rarest form of the high-grade glioma you can have," Mark said.
Since the diagnosis, Elizabeth's condition has worsened quickly. Within weeks, her parents said she has lost most of her mobility.
"Within the past month, she lost like all her mobility. She can't walk, she can’t stand on her own, she can’t eat anything but soft food, she can barely drink water," her family shared. “It’s so quick how much she’s fading."
The Waner family has put their lives on hold, traveling from St. Lucie County to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where Elizabeth is receiving specialized care.
Treatment options are limited. The tumor cannot be surgically removed, and while radiation may help ease some symptoms, it is unlikely to be a cure. Now, the family is facing unimaginable decisions — shifting from trying to extend time to making the most of it.
"All we can do is try to make sure that she’s comfortable with what she has and what she has left," her parents said.
"Our No.1 goal is to make sure the time she has left, she’s the happiest," her family said.
As the Waner family navigates this difficult journey, support from the community has been growing.
"It's insane to see how many people came together for us not even knowing who we are," her father, Mark Waner, said.
A fundraiser to support the family is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Texas Roadhouse in Port St. Lucie. The event is hosted in partnership with Men At Arms, and 10% of all meal purchases during that time will go directly to the Waner family.
A GoFundMe has also been set up to help with medical expenses and ongoing care. You can contribute here.
