Anjalie Bartee was a normal, healthy 17-year-old, a junior in high school in Omaha, NE when she began experiencing headaches and vision changes. Her doctor thought it might be due to recent changes in her medication, but the condition persisted and worsened; the ophthalmologist detected pressure on the brain and sent them to the ER.
The diagnosis was diffuse midline glioma DMG, an inoperable, grade 4 brain tumor; she was given a few months to a year, maybe two if lucky, to live. After the standard 6 weeks of radiation, the tumor was still growing aggressively and her condition was not temporarily improving as hoped.
Her physicians were aware of the clinical trial with ONC201, and had Anjalie begin within a month’s time; she continues to participate, now 19 months later, and is doing well.
Anjalie’s parents Barbara and Albert are thrilled at her progress and continue to have hope for their daughter’s long-term survival. Anjalie has graduated high school–even she did not believe she would at the outset.
She currently enjoys working at a local daycare in familiar and supportive company, and is looking forward to learning American Sign Language in college to be an interpreter. She also loves music, and is planning to learn to play the violin.
