Girl was devastated after her inoperable brain tumor diagnosis—weeks later, her 'unbelievable' MRI stunned doctors

The girl was diagnosed with a rare but aggresive form of brain cancer.

PUBLISHED 10 HOURS AGO

(L) A doctor checking on a girl at a hospital. (R) A doctor looking at a person's brain scans. Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | The Good Brigade; Monty Rakusen

A young girl's story is a testimony to the fact that medical miracles don't just happen in storybooks. The then 10-year-old girl, Roxli Doss, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and her family was pretty devastated because of the news. The doctors had told the family that receiving radiation to manage the tumor at the back of her brain was their only hope, but a few months later, a scan revealed something miraculous, per ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

A girl sitting on a hospital bed with a stuffed bear at her side. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Portra Images

The doctors diagnosed Roxli with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, a rare but aggressive form of brain tumor, in June 2018 after she felt sick for a couple of weeks, per her family's GoFundMe page. The tumor was in the back of her head and was pressing onto her spine, according to an MRI scan. "It is very rare, but when we see it, it is a devastating disease. You have decreased ability to swallow, sometimes vision loss, decreased ability to talk, eventually difficulty with breathing," Dr. Virginia Harrod of Dell Children’s Medical Center, told KVUE. Although there was no cure, the girl went through radiation therapy for weeks and the doctors decided to do whatever they could for Roxli.

A doctor looking at a person's brain scans. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Tom Werner

The family held a benefit for the girl in August that year in the Buda community and people came in to help in a wholesome way. The girl's mom and dad, Gena and Scott Doss, prayed for a miracle. Surprisingly enough, a few months later, there was no evidence of the tumor in Roxli's scans. The doctors had no explanation for how the tumor had disappeared all of a sudden. The family felt that it was a miracle. Both parents were in tears because of the happiness they felt after the scans. "When I first saw Roxli's MRI scan, it was actually unbelievable. The tumor is undetectable on the MRI scan, which is really unusual," Dr. Harrod pointed out.

A man wiing a woman's tears. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Yellow Dog Productions — A man wiping a woman's tears. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Yellow Dog Productions

"At Dell Children’s, Texas Children’s, at Dana-Farber, at John Hopkins and MD Anderson, all agreed it was DIPG," the dad recounted. The family felt that it was something that could only have happened because of god's blessings. "Every day we still say it. It's kind of our family thing that God healed Roxli," Gena expressed. "We didn't know how long she would be healthy and look at her, she's just doing awesome," Scott continued. "She is just as active as she ever was." The girl could also do her favorite activity, horseback riding, as the tumor disappeared. The doctors double-checked the scans and decided to monitor the girl closely, as well as continue immunotherapy as a precaution.

A girl riding a horse. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Elena Popova

Unfortunately, Roxli's tumor returned a few months later, according to the Facebook page, Roxli's Rox Star Benefit. The girl continued to fight her illness up until the very end when she passed away on April 9, 2020, at 12. She was surrounded by family and loved ones who held a celebration of life for her, per Harrell Funeral Home's obituary. "Roxli's infectious smile, positive attitude, incredible sense of humor and kind, gentle spirit impacted and will be a cherished memory for all," read her obit.