Twin Cities teenager "brings joy to everyone" while braving terminal cancer
A Twin Cities teenager is facing an unimaginable battle: terminal cancer. She's fortunate enough to have family by her side through her fearless fight as they all hope for a miracle.
Sometimes, there are no words to say to someone in times of uncertainty. Charlize Hyser, known as Charlie, is facing one of those moments parents fear.
Last Thanksgiving, normal life changed for the sophomore at Buffalo High School. She started losing feeling in her right arm and shoulder.
"Things got progressively worse. Her strength on her right side, she started to have numbness and tingling in her hand," said mother Kira Hyser.
After multiple doctor visits, she eventually got an MRI on Feb. 6. That same day, Charlie Hyser was admitted to Children's Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis. A brain tumor was removed. A rare terminal cancer, called diffused midline glioma, remained.
It was a shock to the family, especially her mother.
"She's my entire world. The worst feeling, not being able to take this from her. To think, 'Why couldn't this be me?' I want it to be me. She doesn't deserve this. It shouldn't happen to a 16-year-old," said Kira Hyser.
Several months after surgery, Charlie Hyser was moved to the inpatient rehab center at Gillette Children's Hospital in St. Paul.
"When Charlie came, she had trouble moving her arm and her leg on the right side. She's made a lot of progress on her functional recovery," said Dr. Ian Ackers, who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Gillette Children's.
She is now relearning how to walk, eat and other daily activities with her mother by her side.
"She shows up every single day. She gets out of bed, she smiles, she laughs. She brings joy to everyone," said Kira Hyser.
"I know there's never going to be a cure in the next five years, and you know, maybe with the clinical trials, I'll live past five years," said Charlie Hyser.
The family will go home on Friday and Charlie Hyser will hopefully back to school in a week. To follow her journey, visit her CaringBridge page.