This is just to let you all know that Rabekah did come home today. She did well through the surgery and has been relieved of some of the discomfort that the fluid was causing. She gets tired very quickly but has the zeal to keep on going. Our spirits have been raised to God through ALL of your prayers and we have nothing but hope that there will be a miracle.

We will be traveling to Boston on Monday to see Dr. Keiran with the Dana Farber Cancer Group for a 2nd opinion as well as to search out all of our options for treatment. She first needs to heal completely from her surgery before any treatment can start which will take about 2 weeks. We are focusing our prayers on which avenue to pursue.

We thank you all for your prayers, fasting and for any help that you have given to us in our time of need. We believe with all of our hearts that Rabekah has many great things to do in her life and with our prayers, actions and positive thinking together we CAN make it happen for her!!

We will keep you updated and ask that you please continue to keep her in your prayers!!!

Our trip to Children's Hospital in Boston did not go as we anticipated but we are not giving up hope. Time is of the essence so there are some tough decisions that Glenn and I need to make as far as what we feel will be the best treatment option for her. Indeed we are continuing to pray for God's Miracle of complete healing, for we have been told that ultimately without it this will soon take her life. She has been, is and continues to be the fighter God has obviously called her to be. Our prayers are that she will become his witness that when you believe,,,,, his will is done!
Thank you all for your support, generousity and prayers.
Much Love, The Hicks Family

Once again we will be traveling to the Childrens Hospital in Boston Thursday morning for another MRI. This is usually done before any treatment starts to see if there have been any changes. Bekah is doing well, her balance has improved as well as her ability to make good eye contact. She is healing up nicely from the surgery she had last thursday. She has been spending everyday enjoying the company of her cousins from NY and is still able to be the last one to bed at night. She certainly is strong and is not willing to let this take away her spirit. We are looking into an alternative treatment in Texas which has made progress in the treatment of this type of Tumor. Our journey there may be as soon as the first of next week. We are still praying that God will give us direction on which treatment will be right for her. Thank you all for the continuance of prayer, love and support as we walk hand in hand with God in this battle for our daughter.

Much Love, The Hicks Family

Please check out the new feature on the website and also there are new pictures added to the photo gallery.

Glenn , Shannon & Rabekah will be leaving for Portland tonight to stay at a friends house to be closer to the airport. They fly out tomorrow morning at 5:45 am heading to Texas. They have a consultation appointment Monday morning to seek treatment options. The length of their stay will be determined this week. Rabekah is doing well. Still playing & keeping up with the rest of the kids! She is one strong little girl. Please continue to pray for Rabekah & her family through this difficult time. The support they are receiving from ALL of you is proving to be just what they need to conquer this battle. Glenn & Shannon will update the website as soon as they are settled.

We have arrived safely in Texas!!! Our appointment with the Burzynski Clinic is at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Rabekah did well with the flights but wanted to go home once we got here. She is surely missing her sisters and cousins. Glenn and I both miss you all very much and feel too far away. However, we do know that your prayers and spirits are with us always and we hold that close to our hearts. We thank you all for the prayers and support you have given and will keep you updated on tomorrows appointment. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & Rabekah

Hello from Texas!!! Well the appointment today didn't go as well as we had hoped. We were not pleased with the overall consultation and have decided against treatment with the Burzynski Clinic. Glenn and I continue to struggle with what treatment will be best for Bekah. Having to wrestle with God is no easy task. There are so many questions that all of us are crying out for him to answer. Why, why, why does God choose such beautiful, perfect, loving souls to endure this kind of suffering??? Well if I were him I certainly wouldn't want anything less out of my angels! I do with all my heart believe that she is special. She now holds me and comforts me and tells me, Mommy, I love you and it will be okay. You and Daddy need to work together. She always has been and even now continues to be a leader and teacher just as Jesus. Isn't that Gods will for us all,,, to walk the path of His only begotten Son. Thank you all again for taking the time to fold your hands and raise our daughter up in your prayers asking for her miracle. Our prayers are, Where do we go next? We will keep you updated on our plans as we figure them out. Much Love, Shannon, Glenn & Bekah

Hello, I know alot of you are having trouble viewing the guestbook so I am going to try to help you solve that problem. On the top of this page is your toolbar, click on the TOOLS file, a list of things will appear directly under it, scroll down to Internet options and click, a window will open with file options, go down to temporary files and click delete, next look for the cookies box and delete those. click ok or done and close that window, now refresh Rabekah's Web page by clicking on the two green arrows next to the address bar. This should do the trick.

We will be heading home this afternoon and should arrive into Bangor late tonight!!! We have spoken with many Doctor's, Clinics and Hospitals all over the country the last 3 days by phone and in person and the only treatment that is available is Radiation. That will at least buy us some time. Ultimately her healing is at the mercy of God. Many experimental theropies are available but none have proven to be effective as of yet. She is scheduled to have a central port put in tomorrow (thursday) at 1:00 at EMMC and will be starting the radiation (also at EMMC) as soon as they can get us in. (hopefully by monday) Bekah is very excited to be coming home and still hanging in there. Thank you all again and again for your prayers. They are working!!!!!! It is my hope that soon God will answer and she will be the miracle we all have been waiting for.

Much love to you all and see you soon, Glenn, Shannon & Bekah

Well after a 6 hour delay stuck in a plane on a runway in Texas we finally departed at 11:30p.m. last night!!! Arrived into NY at 4:00a.m. hopped in a rental car and drove to Maine. The quickest trip I have ever had from NY to maine. We were able to make it to Rabekah's appointment to have a central port put in. She did not have to stay for observation and we are all home now RESTING!!!! She is very sleepy and a lil cranky from the medication they used during surgery and from such a long journey in a 24 hour period. We have an appointment with the Cancer Center of Maine on Monday to discuss the Radiation Theropy. We are also praying for direction in what to do once again,,, another option has surfaced but of course first we must research it and pray about it. We are all so glad to be home, we plan on having a nice quiet weekend together since Bekah hasn't seen her sisters all week, they missed each other very much. Bekah's condition is not getting better, she is actually showing the side effects she had before the Shunt was placed to drain the fluid, so please keep her raised in prayer and protected by the loving, mercyful hands of God. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Bekah & Abby

Hi All, Today we go for the Consultation with the Radiologists at Cancer Center of Maine. They will be examining Rabekah as well as explaining the type of Radiation she will be getting. Rabekah had a lay low weekend and is doing a little better. I spoke with her today about how she is feeling or what she may be feeling and she told me that she is very scared. I told her that she never has to worry, that Mommy and Daddy were fighting hard for her and that God will protect her through all of this. We continue to pray that God will show his Mercy through her and will not let her feel the burden of pain and suffering that comes with her diagnosis. We again and again Thank all of you who have opened your hearts up to Rabekah and have given your love and support to our family, for it has, is, and will continue to sustain us as we walk through this dark and painful time in our lives. With love and great Thanks, Glenn, Shannon, Bekah, Kaylee & Abby

Happy 4th of July! We have made arrangments to go ahead with the Radiation, Bekah has an appointment tomorrow morning at 7:30 to go in and have her CT Scan done with mask so the 5 marks can be made on her head where the beam will be hitting precisely each morning. The treatment will be 6-7 weeks and will be starting hopefully by the middle of next week. As with all the other options this one to has it's share of side effects but, most are short term and minimal. We are hoping and praying this will allow us some time to put together an alternative treatment that will be effective within her body once the Radiation shrinks the Tumor. We understand there is a chance this may not be effective at all or that it may shrink it quickly but cause it to regrow at a fast pace. Bekah is still in good spirits and remains the strong fighter she has always been. However, her condition is slowly progressing. We pray continually that the healing hands of God will touch her, raise her up for all to see and be the witness of his word. We thank you all so very much for believing that her purpose here is great and for pleading that God's will be our miracle.

Much Love, Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Bekah & Abby

Rabekah's appointment went well this morning. The Pediatric Sedation Specialists said she did amazing for a first time port access. As long as Rabekah can see what is happening to her she is fine!!! Her treatment will start on Wednesday July, 11 at 1:00 p.m. and for the remaining 7 weeks will be every morning at 7:30 a.m. While she was under sedation the NeuroSurgeon took a look at her CAT Scan to make sure the Shunt was still working properly, which it is but they may decided today to start her on a Steriod Treatment as well because the Tumor is growing and pressing more on the nerves and limiting her speach and mobility. Her spirits are still high. Yesterday she got the Kitty she has been asking for for the last year! She named it Bella. She is a Persian, 8 weeks old and we will be posting pictures of the two of them hopefully by this evening. Thank you all so much for keeping our little girl in your thoughts and prayers, it truely is a blessing to be surrounded by such love, faith and support.

Much Love, Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Rabekah & Abigail

Rabekah seems to be responding well to the steriods. Though her mobility has not completely returned she is talking a little better and seems to be more alert. She is having such fun with her kitty, Bella. We will be taking her in tomorrow for her first Radiation treatment. We hope and pray everything goes smoothly. Her treatments are pretty quick but being that she is only 4 and not able to hold completely still she needs to be Sedated every time.
We want to Thank all of you who attended the Fundraiser on Sunday in New York at Ludlows Bistro, those who were unable to make it, we thank you for your donations and support. Glenn really enjoyed seeing and meeting you all. A special thanks to Brian and his partner Matt, who opened their hearts and place of business to show love and support for our daughter. Thank you to all of you who helped put such a beautiful afternoon together. There are no words that can even come close to expressing the amount of graditude we have to all of you who continually give of yourselves. We believe God is reaching out and touching each and every one of us through Rabekah. This has been, is and will continue to be a long fight, but a fight that will shower great blessing upon all who have opened their eyes to see. Our prayer is that Rabekah's body will hold strong through Radiation and that the effects of the treatment on her are minimal.
Thank you all again! With Love, Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Rabekah & Abigail

Attention:
Hats for Bekah Day in Dexter is Friday July 20th. The day will start at 6:00 a.m. with breakfast at the Dexter Cafe.

Saturday and Sunday Events: .............

Wayside Theater will be having a Benefit Dinner on Saturday July 21st, please look for additional info in the local papers.
The Town of Charleston ( Shannon's hometown ) will be having a Benefit Dinner and Auction Saturday July 21st at the old Charleston Elementary School. Dinner will be from 5-7, Auction will start at 7p.m.

All proceeds will go to the Rabekah Fund.

After returning home from yesterday's treatment Rabekah got extremely nauseous and was having difficulty clearing the thickened secretion from her throat, which we now know are Laryngospasms. She did have a near death experience in which an Ambulance was called. Breathing was done for her until she came to enough to breathe on her own. She was alert and conscious when the paramedics arrived. After a very long and heavy night Rabekah was intubated and will remain under light sedation. She does have a fever but we are not certain what the cause may be. We are moving forward with the Radiation in hopes the Tumor and swelling will soon decrease. We were aware of the risks that before the Tumor shrinks there was a possibility it could swell first. She will remain on a ventilator along with a strong dose of Steroids until we see improvements. She is certainly a fighter as we have all seen. We continually ask for prayer that her body, mind and soul remain strong and that she feels the energy of our compassionate prayers surrounding her. Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts.... now more than ever we ask for your support in prayer for God's mercy. Much love, Shannon, Glenn, Kaylee, Abby and Rabekah

Because of the condition and state Rabekah is in, the family is requesting that only immediate family members visit at the hospital and with permission by phone contact prior to the visit. We do appreciate all of the support but feel for Rabekah's well being that this would be best until her condition improves. Please continue to support us all through your prayers, they are being felt!!!

Hi Everyone!
Sorry it has taken me so long to update the website. I have not been home and the only available computer at the Hospital was locked and the woman with the password was on vacation. Rabekah is doing well, still on the ventilator but she is able to communicate with us and is aware of what is going on. Looks like they will attempt to remove the breathing tube on Friday morning after her Radiation Treatment. She is on an as needed basis with the morphine and adivan but being as alert and anxious as she is, she will be needing more for the next two days. I just want all of you who participaited in the bottle drive in Charleston and Corinth over the weekend to know how thankful we are for your donations and support. As well as all of you who will be taking the time to attend some of the Benefits this weekend and who are also in the works of having bake sales and benefit yard sales. We certainly appreciate ALL that you are doing for Bekah. I have every hope that someday soon she will be able to thank you all herself for opening your hearts and supporting us all during this difficult time. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as well as all who are sick and suffering. May God's Mercy shine from all four corners of the earth!!!!
Much Love and Thanks, Glenn, Shannon, & the Girls

Rabekah will be having an MRI this afternoon at 1:00 PM to determine the latest condition of the tumor. Decisions will have to be made this Friday when the ventilator and feeding tubes are removed. We continue to pray for that miracle to come from above. The family wishes to thank all of you for your constant prayer and thoughtful notes of concern. Let's all keep up the fight and win this battle!!! With Love......Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Abigail and Rabekah

Today is a very big day for Rabekah. The Doctors will be removing the breathing tube to see if she will be able to breath on her own. The problem is not the initiating of the breath but it is actually all the nerves in her throat. The MRI was done on Wednesday and showed that the whole area was larger than before. At some point around the days just prior to her first Radiation Treatment the Tumor started to bleed. The Doctors feel that is what caused things to get worse. If Rabekah cannot breath on her own the Doctors will be doing a Tracheostomy as well as a feeding tube in the stomach. They feel this would be a much less invasive way of life for her. It is a temporary thing or it will be for as long as she needs it. It is also the fastest way to get here home and off so many medications. The Doctors feel she would be much better off at home where she is happy. She has proved to them, the hospital is not where she wants to be!!! I know so many of you are thinking of her and lifting her in you prayers, especially today. Rabekah still remains very strong and we have all the hope and faith in the world that she will come through this shining just as brilliantly as she always has. Thank you all again so much for your continued support.
Much Love,
Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Rabekah & Abigail

Hello, I first want to apologize to all of you for not updating the website as quickly as I have been. I have just been having such a tough time trying to process all of what is going on. The breathing tube was removed on Friday afternoon and Rabekah had a very quiet night. There is a picture of her after the tube was removed, she even spoke. Her first word was No and the next morning she yelled at the nurse and told her to get out!!! That's Bekah, miss independent! Unfortunately they had to put the tube back in Saturday afternoon. Sunday was a very hard day for her as the medications were not really mixing well with her body. She was having some slowed breathing and had increased levels of Co2 in her blood. After meeting with the Doctors yesterday we have decided to wait on doing the Tracheostomy. The expectations of that were that she will continue to decline and that the Tumor is getting worse. However, yesterday our little fighter shocked the Doc's and nurses and continues to write her own story. She has had a very good 2 days, she has become very alert and is even coloring with her left hand. (right side still remains weak) She has finally after a week and a half been able to have successful bowel movements all on her own. Yeah!!! The ventilator has been turned down to CPAP, which allows her to do all of the breathing on her own. She has been doing very well so far. Glenn and I both know she has along way to go and we continue to support each other fully as we stand before God in faith asking for a miracle. We thank all of you who attended the yard sale and benefit dinners this last weekend. We had such a beautiful turnout. It was difficult being at the dinner and I felt the need to stand and say how much all of your support means to our family. I was just having a difficult time being there and was very overcome by so many different emotions. I do apologize and want ALL of you to know how grateful we are to have such a strong, giving and supportive community. I love all of you so very much and Thank you! Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls

Micah 7:7 But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, oh my enemy. When I fall I shall rise. When I sit in darkness the Lord will be a light to me. He will bring me forth to the light, I shall behold his deliverance. ((( By the power and will of God she shall Arise!!! )))

A SPECIAL THANK YOU FROM RABEKAH'S FAMILY

We are writing this open letter of gratitude and thanks to all of you who have so unselfishly given of your time and money in support of our sweet little Rabekah. There are no words that can adequately express the joy that is in our hearts through this huge expression of love and compassion. May you all be and feel blessed through your good works!!!

Hello, Rabekah is doing okay. She is still in the Hospital and still has the breathing tube. She is however doing much better this week. She has been initiating all her breaths but we still will not know if she can breathe on her own through her mouth unless we try to extubate her once more. She is still having trouble with bowel movements and does bite down on the tube which blocks her airway and drops her heart rate and oxygen level, which is not good because she then needs to be resuscitated with an ambouy bag and oxygen. This usually happens when she is agitated or needs her line suctioned besides the mere fact that she wants the tube OUT! On Monday the Doctors will try to extubate her again and we hope and pray she will breathe successfully on her own with great strength. If it is unsuccessful, they will replace the tube and she will have a Tracheotomy placed with a Stomach feeding tube on Wednesday. She, as always, continues to be so very strong. She loves to hear people pray and loves to be prayed to. So please, our hope is that God will allow her to hear, as she rests, each and every one of our prayers. God never gives anymore than we can handle. Together WE can handle this. Thank you all again so much for your consistancy in support and prayer. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls

Hope is the thing with wings that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops at all. -M.H.

Hi All, The plan is to try to get radiation done at 7:30 in the morning and shortly after remove the tube. She is doing good but we wont know for sure how good until the tube is out. Glenn & My soul's cry out to God asking, pleading that tomorrow will shed a newer and brighter light in all of our lives. We see such strenght in Rabekah and determination that would put us all to shame. It is very hard to imagine God wanting to remove from this world such a radiant soul. Maybe his plan is not to remove it but to use it to awaken the spirit that we all so easily place in our pockets to hide. Her life is a celebration of such peace and love and for all of us who are lucky to have her as part of our lives,,, no matter what, she would want us to celebrate!!!! We are asking everyone to keep her in thought and prayer for tomorrow is a very big day for her. Breathe with her in the morning, and maybe just maybe God will use us all to give his precious Angel her Miracle. Thank you all so much, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls

THE LATEST UPDATE............................ The radiation treatment for today was completed this morning. The doctors would like to facilitate a bowel movement for Rabekah prior to the removal of the breathing device. As of now, the tube will be removed at approximately 2 PM. Love.....Glenn & Shannon

THE LATEST UPDATE...............The removal of the breathing tube has been postponed until tomorrow morning. The reason for this is that she has not had a bowel movement and she is severely impacted. The doctors do not want any conditions where strain and stress will be involved for Rabekah when the tube is removed. Soooooooooo......you know what we are praying for at the present time. Please pray that the medical staff attending to her will know what to do and when to do it. And please continue to pray for Rabekah, for her strength and for her willingness to endure one more night with the tube. With Love.....Glenn, Shannon and the girls

Hi All, Everything is a go and the tube will be pulled within the hour. Lets all give our precious Angel a great big strong breath of LOVE!!!!! We will keep you updated as always, Glenn, Shannon, & the grils

Tube removal was successful! Bekah is breathing well and is very comfortable. We will take it one day at a time. This is the first of many steps but we feel that God is shining and delivering His message through her. Continue to keep her in thought and prayer. Please see our new album for recent pictures! Much love and thanks!

Shannon, Glenn and Bekah

Wake up, Wake up, for your light has come. Arise and shine, Awaken, Awaken, Utter a song, for the glory of the Lord has revealed upon you.

Hi All, Rabekah is still in the hospital but continues to do very well!!!! She has an evaluation today with the Speech and Swallow Doctors, that will determine if she needs to have a stomach Feeding Tube. The test is an X-Ray that is fairly quick, Rabekah just needs to swallow a white milky substance (yuck) and several pictures will be taken to see how she swallows and to watch the tract of the liquid. She has been having bits of water off an oral sponge and did eat a dime size amount of cottage cheese (her favorite) with no trouble at all. If she passes the test she can come home! That is what we are all praying for. If not than tomorrow she will have the stomach tube placed and will be home by Monday. Rabekah had a great night last night, her big sister Kaylee spent the night with her in the hospital and wants to stay again tonight! They are making up for lost time and we have to say it is the most precious time they have ever spent together. Thank you all so much for sacrificing of yourselves to walk with us on this journey. Please continue to lift her in prayer as well as all of His children who are suffering. Much Love, The Hicks Family

Hi All, Rabekah gets to come home today! She continues to do very well and is really excited to get out of the hospital. She has been able to eat soft foods of her choice (cottage cheese, ice cream, ice pops, eggs, etc.) while continuing to receive nutrients and medications through her feeding tube that is placed in her nose. She will have this tube until she gets stronger and is able to eat better on her own. We are looking forward to a nice, quiet weekend at home!! If you would like to contact us, please do through our guestbook or email. Thank you for continuing to keep Bekah in your thoughts and prayers! Much Love, Shannon, Glenn, and the Girls.

New Event Sunday Aug 5th @ 9:30, for a MAP

Hello, Bekah came home friday afternoon and is just having a great time back with her family!!! We had a very nice weekend and took some pictures for you all to see, so make sure you check out our new album. Bekah will continue to have her radiation treatments and is doing well. She does still have a feeding tube in her nose but it is only temporary. She is eating well on her own and is trying to talk. We all know that will come in time as well as her motor skills. We continue to pray and give thanks that things are looking brighter but also know this is only the beginning to a very long road. She has only 11 treatments left and even after her treatments are finished the effects are still taking place so it will be a while before another MRI is done unless she has a drastic change. Again and again thank you all so much for allowing our daughter into your prayers and we only hope there are much brighter and healthier days ahead! We will continue to update every few days as well as post new pic's.
Much Love & Many Thanks, The Hicks Family

Hi Everyone! Bekah continues to show improvement. She has been spending lots of time with her Cousins, Aunts and Uncles and the Grandparents too!!! She has been enjoying her time out of the hospital and is eating more than Daddy now. She has been doing alot more talking,,,, which we have ALL missed so much. I asked her why she was getting so upset today when Abby sat next to her and she told me that she didn't want her to put anymore Butt Paste hiney cream, on her face. ( An incident that took place earlier this week.) She loves riding in the car now and can't wait to do some more visiting!!! She has only 7 more treatments to go with Radiation. Make -A- Wish came to visit her on thursday and to let her know when she is ready to make her wish,,, they would be more than happy to grant it. We continually thank the Lord for her day to day progress and pray that THIS IS THE BEGINNING of the road to complete healing. This will forever be our prayer! Again thank you all so very much for your prayers, hope and love. Together our prayers are doing great things,,, hopefully this too is the beginning of something even more beautiful within each one of us all. We will have more pictures soon with updates as well...

With much love, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls!

Hello, We have really great news,,,, Bekah came home today without the feeding tube and she has managed to put on 3 lbs in just a week. As we told the Doctor's all along,,, she loves her food and doubt she will have any trouble eating!!! We are all so excited. Only 4 treatments left, YEAH! She has been doing alot more talking, has started in home Physical Theropy and has said that she wants to walk again so she can play with her cousin, Gabrielle. Glenn and I feel very blessed. She certainly has such great strength within her to keep on going and has SHOCKED all the Medical Staff who have had any contact with. We continue to pray that her health be fully restored and that she will be granted the Miracle to live a long and fruitful life. In such a short time her illness has cought the attention of so many and has re-assured us to lean on God himself always, not just in our time of need. We just know that her light burns brighter now than it ever has and we feel she has alot more to share with us all here first!!! Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We thank you all so very much for allowing us to be part of your lives, prayers care and concerns. We will continue to keep you updated as well as many more new pictures coming soon. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls

Hi all,

Bekah has finished her Radiation Treatment. Things seem to be going well. She is talking, laughing and almost back to herself. The muscles in her face have not come back fully, making it hard to pronounce some words and show expression but, along with the walking we hope all of it will come back soon. We will be starting alternative therapy treatments with Dr. Houseman in Belfast as well as a Glyconutritional Supplement. She has been on Sea Cucumber for a bit and will remain on that for it has show to be very effective in Cancer. We will continue to pray for her complete healing and speedy recovery. This all lies in the hands of our Creator and we know and trust that his will is the perfect one for her.
We will be heading out shortly for a mini camping trip. Bekah is looking very forward to Uncle Bobby's camp fire and roasting Marshmallows with her sisters! I wish you all were able to see with your own eyes the miracle that has taken place within her. Through all of this she is still so loving and giving and so so strong. She is the fighter that God needs in all of us to be. I give credit to God for this miracle but also to ALL of you. Each and every prayer that you have said, the good deeds that are being preformed not only for Rabekah but in your own lives. This has created such an amazingly beautiful amount of energy within this world. We have done this together and because of our commitment, sacrifices and compassion, a step has been taken and THAT is what HE sees. Now he is answering!!

Glenn and I hope with all of our hearts that this will remain within you and will become a part of you and your family's lives forever. What Rabekah has, is and will go through is far from a blessing but, we take from it the Good and make this experience our own! We will continue to keep you updated on Bekah and thank you all so much for the prayer of her healing.
Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls

Hi All, Sorry it has taken so long to update, we have been out of town with Glenn so he can work and still be with us to help out with Bekah. She is doing well. We are day 4 off the Steroids and her eating is now back to normal. THANK GOODNESS! She is showing the drive to walk and has actually crawled across our bed on her own. She has now had her second weekly visit with Dr. Houseman and has shown improvement in strength in just one week. She is on Goji Juice as well as Shitake Mushroom, Sea Cucumber and Sharks Cartilage. The Goji is an Antioxidant juice that will help with the swelling in the brain and has shown to be effective in preventing the reoccurrence of a number or illnesses. The other supplements are all anti Tumor. She will be having an MRI done at the end of October to find out how much the Radiation has helped. We have already seen great improvement and know that our prayers have had a great hand in her healing. We continue to thank you all for your prayers and ask that the prayer now be that the Tumor will disappear and Rabekah will be blessed with a long and healthy life. Glenn and I as always put our trust in God and know that his will for her is great and that our family will soon be healed! We love you all and hope you have a wonderful weekend. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon and the Girls

Hello from deep in the woods of Maine,

Sorry again it has been a while since we have given an update. Service up here is almost impossible. Rabakah is doing well. Still working very hard at trying to talk and get the right side of her body working again. This has been and will continue to be a tough road but we have faith that things will get better each day. I do just want to make some clarifications with how she is doing. When those of you who may see Rabakah we want you to know that she is very aware of what is going on with her and gets embarrassed when extra attention is given, especially by unfamiliar faces. Please know that when we update you it may seem like she is back to herself but, that comes from a very positive thinking Mom and Dad. She is indeed a little ways from that but we have no doubt she WILL get there. Please, when you see her just treat her as if nothing has ever happened. That seems to be when she feels the most comfortable. We just feel this would be better for Bekah at this point. Back to how she is doing, she is getting stronger with her right side, we exercise her a couple times a day. She is back to talking,,, ALOT but still has trouble getting it out clearly. We are working with her on that as well. She makes great eye contact and much of the swelling is gone now. She still has her lil' Rabekah attitude,,, took Daddy a while to convince her to put on pants today cause all her hello kitty skirt was dirty. He managed though! Glenn and I are both learning patience,, and from the best teacher we know. She of all of us has mastered that already. We do promise you that by Monday there will be some new pictures of all of us and you will get to see for yourselves just how well ALL of YOUR prayers are being answered. Please continue to pray for her complete recovery as well as for all of those who may be facing the same challenges in life. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & The Girls!!!

Hello, sorry again it has been a while since we have updated you, but as the saying goes, No news is good news. Rabekah is having a blast in North Carolina with her cousins Deanna, Gabby, Zach, Uncle Donald and Aunt Denise. Rabekah has been swimming in the pool and riding the roller coaster down the hill in the back yard. She continually shows us each day that she has the desire and drive to overcome this challenge in her life. She is asking more and more to walk and her talking is almost normal. As her father I am so humbled that she is part of our life, she has taught us all so much in a very short time. We are very thankful that you all have become an important part of our lives and thank you all for allowing us to become part of yours. We ask for the continual prayer of complete healing. We will be adding some pictures of our trip later this evening. Sincerely, Glenn and Family

Hello everyone, Just a quick update, we are home from North Carolina safe and sound. We had a wonderful time and the kids really enjoyed being with their cousins!!! Bekah wants to go back. She is doing very well with her speech, she can get into a sitting position from her stomach without help. She is still very weak in her right shoulder but little by little she's getting there. She does walk with help, she has trouble still with balance and standing up strait but that too will come in it's own time. Her MRI is scheduled for next Wednesday at 10 a.m. This will be a challenging day for our family but we hope and pray to hear only good news. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers that day. Ask God to reveal himself through her and allow her a long, healthy and fruitful life. -God leads you to the cliff and it is then that you are given the wings to fly- Love, Glenn, Shannon and ALL the GIRLS!!!!

Hi Everyone, This was emailed to me this evening and I just wanted to share it with you all. It is so very important to also ALWAYS keep others besides Rabekah who are fighting for their lives in our thoughts, actions and prayers!!

The Honorable Susan Collins 413 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Collins:

Cancer touches too many people's lives, and when it is diagnosed in a young child we wonder how or why this could happen. The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007 needs your support. A person with cancer undergoes a terrible ordeal of treatment and medications, as well as the financial and emotional toll it can inflict on a family and friends. S 911 must be passed on behalf of all children who have received the diagnosis of cancer.

The hope of a cure for all cancers, but especially childhood cancers is consuming and priceless to those affected. I have had the great blessing of knowing a beautiful little angel who needs such hope. Rebekah Hicks from Corinna, Maine, was 4 1/2 years old when she was diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) in June of 2007. She is a courageous little girl fighting valiantly against this insidious disease. We must find the miraculous cure for Rebekah and all of the other children suffering from such ailments. There are many other children in our country suffering from DIPG too. You may visit: http://icouldbeyourchild.org/ to see who else besides Rebekah is suffering and you can also see who has passed from this horrible disease on the same site.

It is with great conviction and passion that I ask you to support the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007. It is like the credit card commercials would say, Finding a cure for all childhood cancers - PRICELESS.


Very Sincerely Yours,

Pamela XYZ

Hi Everyone, We are home and everything went well. There has been no change in the size of the Tumor but there is less Tension on the area. We will be speaking with the Radiologist who treated her within the next few days after he has viewed the scan, just to get his opinion. The oncologist was pleased to see how well Bekah is doing and wants to see her back in 3 months for another evaluation. We will continue to pray and stay positive,,,,this just allows more time for our Miracle! Thank you all for taking the time to think about and pray for Bek today and always, Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls!!!!

Hi Everyone,

I know you all have been waiting to hear what the other Doctors had to say about the recent MRI. The Tumor is still the same size but looks like it is in the process of dying. The Oncologist/Radiologist who treated Bekah said it appeared to look better now than it has in the past including when they diagnosed her. This is great news. We hope and pray that soon she will be back to herself and will stay that way!!! Keep praying because we are in the midst of a MIRACLE! Much Love, Glenn, Shannon & the Girls

Sunday afternoon we took Rabekah into the Hospital where they admitted her. Our fear was there was progression in the Tumor. She was showing high levels of Acid in her body as well as dehydration. We had also been exposed to Step and were thinking that could have been the possibility. She went from doing very well on Saturday to not very well Sunday. She was having difficulty opening her mouth, was very week and could not talk. After spending two nights we are now back at home resting peacefully. They are treating her for Strep but was unable to get a Culture done, Bekah wasn't willing!!! She is also back on a higher dose of Steroid, that will reduce any swelling that may be occurring. An MRI cannot be done at this point in time, Rabekah has a very sensitive airway and we do not want to have to inti-bate her again. As she gets better we will revisit the MRI option just to see what exactly is going on. We are hoping that this was either Strep or just a viral infection that tipped her over and that the Tumor is still dying. She is doing much better now and we continue to be hopeful that God's Mercy is still resting upon her. Please keep her in your prayers.

Much Love and Many Thanks, Glenn, Shannon and the Girls

Hello to all, Bekah has bounced back very nicely from last week. She is eating us out of house and home thanks to the steriods,we have just started to lower her dosage as per her doctor. All in all she is doing great, her talking has improved alot, we can understand every word. Unfortunatly for mom and dad her sleeping habits have changed and does not sleep very well, we hope it is caused by the steriods, since this has just started last week. She looks great and is full of positive energy,her attitude is always happy and strong, she truly is a miricle to us and with each day that goes by we feel blessed to have her with us. We thank god for answering our prayers of healing and feel strongly that she will beat this. Glenn, Shannon and girls.

Bekah is doing great, she spends alot of time coloring pictures for all of her cousins and friends. Her balance is getting better each day, and she is using her right arm more. She is always in great spirit, as if there is nothing wrong with her, each day is just another day of getting better. She still has a big appetite from her meds, but should be off of them in a few more weeks. Each day she shows us how strong she is, and how she is fighting to overcome this, there is so much we can all learn from this little loving girl. With love Glenn, Shannon and girls

Hi Everyone, We had a few appointments with Bek yesterday. She first saw Dr. Villiotte- the Radiation Therapist that treated her. Just a visual in person evaluation. He said compared to the last time he saw her (end of her therapy) she is 100% better. He said the next MRI ( early Jan ) will give us a better idea of what exactly is going on with the Tumor. Then we saw Dr. Housman, he was able to finish the Meridian Testing, which test a lot of different things in her body so he can create a Homeopathic Remedy specifically for her. He was surprised at how much better and stronger she has gotten in a week and a half. He wants to see her off the steroid, she seems to be having trouble with her kidney, blood on her stool on occasion. He did say that coming off the steroids she would go through a mood change (which is what I think happened- I think she gets depressed.) He has given us a few new supplements to start her on that will help move her off the steroid, help with the Pituitary Glands, her eyes as well as the nerve damage that she has and any other damage( Free Radicals) the Radiation may have caused which would start to show up around this time frame. He explained to us that he did study her first and last MRI for along time and does see a lot of Necrosis, which is the dieing off of the Tumor, and it will take along time for the body to absorb something like this. The picture may not change much at all but to go on how she is looking, acting and feeling NOW. He said she is doing very well and sees that she is trying to get things working on her own. That alone is great. I just know in my heart that she's going to make it. I trust God and know that there is a very big lesson here, I may not understand it now or ever but,,,, I do believe!!! It was so refreshing to hear that it takes along time for things to repair. We may not see the full effects of this for months to years. The Tumor could be completely dead right now but all the nerves need to repair themselves and that is a very long process. She is back to herself with playing and conversation. Still smart as a whip. Has been testing the waters with Daddy a little bit too. She recently got very upset with him for eating a piece of her dinner and decided she was getting out of the hi-chair on her own. She has the motivation!!!!! She is crawling around and has the past few days been trying to stand up next to something on her own. She laughs all the time and told me last night that she wants to walk again and she needs to make her one leg and arm strong like the others. She also said that she knows God is going to make her better. We are taking a trip to Florida in March, she is so excited!!!! Then the fact that right after that she will be 5 is even better, cause you lose your first tooth when you are 5 and you get to go to school. My Niece will be home this Saturday and she will be helping me post some new pictures of Bekah this next week. We hope you all are well and wish you a Very Happy Holiday Season. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Bekah and Abby

Just a little update to let you all know how things are going. After taking Bekah off the steroid last Tuesday we had a little set back. The first and second days were great, the third Bekah seemed to be getting very tired and weak. I spoke with her Dr and explained what was happening. His feelings were that she was being weened off the steroid to quickly and needed to go back on the same 1/2 mg dose for another week then down to 1/4 mg for a week then off. She has bounced back wonderfully, although she does have another yucky cold. Tis the season!!! Glenn and I both hopeful that the Tumor is dieing more which may be the cause of the swelling. It is our understanding that when a Tumor goes through Necrosis, it bleeds which in turn causes swelling. So she just may need to stay on a low dose of the Steroid until her body absorbs the blood. Again, we are uncertain if this is actually what is going on but, we are hopeful. The MRI to be done around the 2nd week in January will give us a better picture as to what is going on. Until then we will continue to pray for her healing, enjoy each and every day that God is allowing us to spend with her and will forever be thankful to him and all of you who call out in his name asking for her healing. We wish you all a Happy Holiday Season and A very bright New Year! Much Love, The Hicks Family For all of you interested, still no baby yet but hoping it will be before Christmas!!!!

Hi Everyone, All is well in our home. We had a Wonderful Holiday and still no Baby!!! Bekah has been patiently awaiting this Baby's arrival for she knows once the Baby is here,,,,,, she gets to see her cousin Gabrielle! We spent Christmas Eve making and decorating Christmas Cookies with Bekah's Cousin Lauren and on Christmas Day we delivered them and Gift Cards to all the Kids who had to spend their Christmas in the Hospital. It was a great experience for us all and we hope to make it our tradition for years to come! Bekah has been on Herbal Supplements as well as a Homeopathic Tincture that has been formulated just for her and is doing very well. Her eyes are looking much better, her speech is almost perfect and she will be starting Physical Therapy this week. An MRI still has not been scheduled but will hopefully be done by the Doctors this coming week. She remains very positive and cannot wait to walk again on her own. We hope you all had a Happy Holiday and wish you the very best New Year. We have added some new pictures and will be adding more once the very soon! Much Love, The Hicks Family

Hi Everyone, Just a quick update to let you all know we have a new Baby Girl. Born Saturday 9 lbs and 21 1/2 inches long! The girls are all thrilled to finally have her here. No name yet but have a few that we like. We'll keep ya posted! Still have not gotten a date from the Oncologist for Bekah's MRI but, she is doing very well. She stood up all on her own today ((( YAY ))) She continues to amaze us all each and every day. She is looking forward to her upcoming Disney trip and really wants to be able to walk when she goes. We will be adding some new pictures this week hope you enjoy!!! Much Love, The Hicks Family

Hi, We just got Bekah's MRI appointment. It's Wednesday Jan. 30 at 9:00 a.m. Hoping and praying everything goes well and that she not be afraid. She is also starting her Physical Therapy next Tuesday and the office has agreed to set us up with the tools we need to work with her at home as well. It's been along wait and Bekah is really ready to start moving!!! Things here have been very busy but, we are so thankful for the strengthening prayers that you all are sending out. God has so graciously blessed our home with 4 BEAUTIFUL GIRLS and we know that his light will forever shine upon them each and every day of their precious lives. For those of you who are still waiting to hear we have chosen a name for our new little one, Daniella Rose. I have also added a couple new pictures. Much Love, The Hicks Family

Things went okay at Bekah's MRI yesterday. She got to see Dr. Wood for the first time since her treatment ended. He was not the Dr on Schedule for her procedure but came and stayed with her the whole time. She was thrilled. Last night the Oncologist called with a quick reading of their findings. There are 2 things that have changed and they are uncertain as to what is causing the changes. They found that the Cystic Component was larger, which could be caused either by Radiation Destruction ( Necrosis of the Tumor ) or growth in the Tumor. The other was that her Ventricles (pocket that holds spinal fluid) look fuller, this may be caused by the Shunt not working as well as it should be. We have an appt for a CT scan next Thursday at 9 a.m. to see if the Shunt is working properly. We are staying positive and are looking at this as the Tumor is dieing and that the extra fluid is just the shunt. She is still doing well. She has finally started Physical Therapy and will be getting a special brace for her foot to help her relearn how to walk. She does have days when her speech isn't easily understood but she bounces back well. We do believe and trust that God's Hand will rest upon her and that his Mercy will shine in her smile. Please keep her in prayer always. She is a strong little girl. We did take a drive to North Carolina to visit her cousins, Aunt & Uncle. Long drive, short stay but the girls ALL did excellent in the car and it was well worth it. Rabekah was so happy to finally see Gabby!!! She was just a ball of Smiles the whole time we were there. Leaving was very difficult but, we hope to see them again SOON. I will be adding new pictures tomorrow, Enjoy! Much Love, The Hicks Family

Hi all, I know you all are wondering why I haven't updated yet. I have it just takes at least 12 hrs for the update to post. Bekah was very brave and did great during her CT Scan, only a two minute scan but to a child,,,, it's forever. We then went to meet with her Neurosurgeon to discuss the scan. She did find that the shunt is not working well. There is blockage and a very large amount of fluid in her ventricles which is why we have been noticing some minor setbacks in her lately. She is scheduled for surgery at 8:15 Monday morning to have a Shunt Revision. Basically the same operation she had when the shunt was placed only this time they think the blockage of the valve is located in the head some if that is the case they will only need to make the one incision there. If they find blockage elsewhere they will then go in at the two other locations, another on her head and on her stomach. Hopefully that won't be the case. This was in a way comforting for us to hear, the fact that this is a fairly easy fix and not Tumor Activity is such a blessing. She will only need to stay in the Hospital over night and if all is well the next morning she will be able to come home. Doing this procedure will help Bekah to feel better and hopefully give her more strength and energy once again. She remains strong willed and cannot wait for her Disney Trip. She has been asking everyday, how many more days till we go Mommy? Ariel has called her from the Castle 3 times and she is so excited to meet her!!! Keep her close in your prayers and ask that God's hand be used for wisdom Monday morning and that he fill her with the renewal breath of strength and complete healing. We know in our hearts that Gods lessons are great and now we look forward to a Beautiful New Year of his Miracles. Much love from our family to you and thank you all for believing in Gods unseen Miracle, for it is then that the miracle is seen.

Love, The Hicks Family

Rabekah had her Shunt Revision this morning. She had a rough go in the beginning with the anesthesiologist trying to access the port. He was unsuccessful after 3 tries and lots of aggravation and discomfort they ended up doing a regular IV in the arm. The procedure went well, no complications!! Praise the Lord. The Dr found that the valve in her head was completely blocked and there was alot of pressure. The Dr did give us a little good news, most patients are completely shunt dependant which means if there is blockage they would generally get very sick within a day and possibly go into a coma and die, where in Bekah's case she is only partially dependant meaning that she is able to pass and absorb some of that fluid on her own. This is a good thing!!! She was supposed to stay in the Hospital for 24 hrs but wanted to come home right after she came to so,,,, they did a CT Scan and everything looked good, no bleeding and shunt is in good position so they let her come home. She is very happy, resting and was excited to see her sisters and Bella. She looks really good, her eyes look straighter and less bloodshot. She is drinking and eating as normal and hasn't complained of any aches or pains at all. God certainly has his hand upon her. Thank you all for the prayers and wishes of good luck. We have been trying to put pictures on the website but have been having trouble. Hopefully they will post soon. We will keep you updated on how she does the next few days. Much love, The Hicks Family

Rabekah was admitted to the PICU at EMMC early Monday morning and was intabaited due to poor Respiratory Response. She was tested for RSV, Influenza and just about anything else you can think of. All came back negative except for the Sputum (mucos) grew out a bug, and basically she does have an infection in her lung. She has been on Antibiotic for over 24 hrs now and has been on lots of pain and sedation meds to keep her calm and resting while the Breathing Tube is in. They are all set to pull the tube and see how she does but,,,, Rabekah has decided she wants to make them wait and is still sleeping. If you know Bekah, she likes to do things on her terms!!!! That is a great sign. This does not seem to be an effect of the Tumor, just a really yucky cold. Because her Respiratory System is sensative and she is immune-compromised she just can't handle the extra secretions that the body makes when it is sick. We ask that you cotinue to keep her in prayer and we will update again to let you all know how things are going.

Well, Rabekah is home now and doing much better. She had a few very challenging days but made it through. We just need to be extremely careful with the whole germ thing. A small cold for her ends up in a Hospital stay. We hope and pray she gets over this cold quickly and is able to travel. The Disney trip is coming up so we all need to be healthy. She is looking forward to this trip as well as the rest of us. We all need a break and are looking forward to spending some FUN TIME together. Thank you all so very much for continuing to pray for Rabekah's complete healing. We have faith and trust in the Lords hands and know that better days are still ahead. We will update you from Disney and hopefully add a picture or two. Much Love, The Hicks Family

Rabekah has been having some trouble the last few days. Yesterday before we left for NY we took her to have a CT Scan done just to make sure the shunt was still working. Everything looked good. The Neurosurgeon said it looked like the cyst was causing the problems. We upped her dose of Steroid to 1 mg and today she has been having some difficulty breathing. She is still breathing okay and is getting enough oxygen but she cannot really talk and she said it's hard for her to swallow. She is in good spirits and will have nothing to do with going to the Hospital. We feel it is extremely important to keep her resting, quiet and happy. When she gets worked up she doesn't do well. We spoke again with the Doctor this morning and she said it does sound like the Tumor is the cause. We have upped her Steroid again to 3 mg a day. Right now all of our plans are on hold until we feel she is doing better. We may be at the point where we need prayer for direction in decision making. Quality of like is most important for her. Our plead to God of all things is that his hand be tipped to fill our daughter with good health, restore the peace within our home and make her the example for all to see, that we all carry within ourselves the ability to change things with positive, continual prayer and thinking. This truly is a test for us all. Times when we know God is close he still feels too far away. We pray for direction, wisdom and understanding and hold her outstretched before God begging for his Mercy. We will update again tomorrow.

Much Love, Glenn, Shannon and The Girls

Hi Everyone, Rabekah is doing better today. Praise the Lord. We believe He is answering all of our prayers. We certainly feel the strength and energy that is being sent out to her and hope that within her precious little body, a miracle is unfolding. We are still planning on heading to Florida, as long as her health continues to get better. She said three times this morning, I want to go to Disney!!! So here we go. We are so looking forward to this trip as a family. We hope and pray all goes well and Bekah's energy holds strong. We look forward to these next two weeks to give us memories we will cherish forever. There is a song that we would like to share with all of you. Martina McBride - Anyway. This song shines hope on the face of our daughter and gives us the strength and courage we need to keep our heads up and believe that God's plan is worth waiting for. Just seeing the passion Rabekah has when she tries to sing this song among the few favorites of hers is what keeps us going. It is our hope that someday, she will sing for all of you! We leave for Florida Tuesday afternoon and will be updating and hopefully posting some pictures of the first day at Disney. We love you all and Thank you for sharing your prayers with our family. Much Love, Glenn, Shannon, Kaylee, Bekah, Abby & Dani

Rabekah was admitted at Arnold Palmer Women's and Children's Hospital this evening. She did not have a very good day and was really having a hard time breathing. A CT Scan was done and there have been no changes since last Friday but after speaking with our Neurosurgeon in Maine by phone everyone agrees this is progression of the Tumor. She is able to breath in oxygen the problem is she cannot blow it out. Her CO2 level was 100, the normal is 40. She is very sick. Glenn and I have decided to intubate and give her a high dose of steroids as well as fluids and some time for her body to rest. It is our hope that this will be effective and she will perk up long enough to get her back to Maine. Thinking on the positive side,,, this very thing has happened twice before and we hope this turns into another viral infection that she just needs to overcome. We made it to Florida but not to Disney, guess she wants to wait a bit longer to tackle the parks! A Princess has to be able to Dance at her Castle right? We just have so much hope and so little strength. My oldest daughter Kaylee is so sad and scared that she might loose her best friend. She told me she had a dream that Bekah came to her School and she was walking again. She also put her arm around me tonight and rubbed my shoulder and said, it's okay Mommy, Bekah will be alright. Such honest trust. Our hearts are breaking, it's hard to imagine that God would allow one of his own to bare this kind of pain. We pray for wisdom, guidance and understanding of the path he has chosen for our family. We know Rabekah has painted our life with so many Beautiful colors and she has reached out and painted every one of yours as well. Say a prayer for her tonight, but not just any prayer. Let her colors fill the words you use and let her fight become your surrender to God.

Much Love, The Hicks Family

Rabekah is resting in the hospital and is very restless. She has perked up over the last 5 hours. I think it is the most excitement we have seen out of her in weeks. Even being on sedation she is breathing over the vent and is wanting the tube out. The Doctors will not pull the tube here, they want to get her to Maine before doing so. Glenn, Bekah, Daniella and I have a 10 am Medical flight tomorrow morning that will transport us back to our Hospital in Maine. We will consult with her Doctors there and decide what is best for Bekah and where to go from there. Lots of battles were fought today within our family, Emotional and spiritual. We spent the day preparing for the worst but tonight (as usual ) Bekah told us a different story. She certainly has a strong will and is not cowering to this fight. Even at the most painful moments she still finds a way to make us smile. Especially today since she managed to tell off anyone who walked in the room. She wasn't able to make the words but you knew she meant business. That's our Bekah!! We are asking for prayers of guidance and direction and for her complete healing. We will update once again when we are settled in Bangor. Much Love, Team Hicks

Rabekah's condition has not changed. We tried backing off the vent and she is unable to control her breathing at this time. The plan is to try again tomorrow after introducing a different medication, and weening her off the meds that are keeping her in a sedative state. We are asking that wherever you are tonight at 10:00 pm, please pray for Rabekah, pray for guidance, healing and direction. We thank you all for your love and support during this continued fight. Much love - The Hicks Family