On January 22nd, 2007, 4–year-old Cristian was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), which is a rare brain tumor located in the stem of the brain.

After the doctors examined Cristian and reviewed his MRI, Cristian’s father received the worst news of his life. The tumor was inoperable and the average lifespan for a child with DIPG after diagnosis is 3 to 18 months.

Cristian fought his battle with DIPG for 2 years and a few days. His father never gave up hope and prayed that God would heal his beloved child. Cristian did his best to fight against this horrific disease, but on January 25, 2009, he passed away in the loving arms of his father.

Cristian’s story magnifies how important the work of the Cristian Rivera Foundation truly is. Our work is to find a cure for the deadly DIPG tumor that ultimately claimed the life of Cristian Rivera. Your tax–deductible donation will treat – and one day – CURE DIPG so no other family will have to suffer the grief that Cristian Rivera’s family endured.