The AmazingMia Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the life of a young girl with cancer. Mia was an incredibly smart, beautiful, athletic and talkative 7th grader with plans to finish her year, play flag football this summer, hang out with friends, and make TikTok videos. But her life changed abruptly when she was diagnosed with GBM.
Al Musella
The Al Musella, AmazingMia Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to funding brain tumor research. Al Musella has been a volunteer in brain tumor research for five years. In 1998, he decided to become a full-time employee of the foundation. He has since retired from his medical practice to devote more time to the foundation.
Al’s Father
Mia’s cancer diagnosis came as a shock to her family. The 7-year-old was a smart, talkative, athletic, and beautiful girl. She was looking forward to finishing her 7th grade year, enjoying flag football season this summer, and hanging out with her friends. She had even started making TikTok videos. But on June 1, 2021, Mia was diagnosed with a brain tumor. While doctors could not perform surgery to remove the tumor, they could only perform a treatment that would make her condition worse.
Al’s GBM
Since Al’s diagnosis, he has been devoted to advancing brain tumor research. In 1998, he started running brain tumor research as a volunteer and later became an employee of the Musella Foundation. He also retired from his medical practice to dedicate more time to fighting brain tumors.
Mia’s Battle With GBM
Before Mia was diagnosed with GBM on June 1, 2021, she had started having eye problems. These led to double vision and headaches. Her family sought treatment at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, Florida, where a doctor delivered devastating news. Mia’s tumor was located on her brain stem, making it inoperable. She and her family began a seven-day stay in the hospital.
GBM is a complex, deadly disease that strikes both men and women, children and adults. It is one of the most difficult to treat among cancers, and it doesn’t discriminate based on age, gender, or socioeconomic status. Its mortality rate is approximately six percent, and the survival rate is just eight months, making it a devastating disease. As of yet, only five drugs and a medical device have been approved for GBM.
Musella Foundation
The Musella Foundation is dedicated to helping children and families with brain tumors. The organization awards research grants, provides copayment assistance for treatments, and moderates support groups. The foundation also tracks clinical trials and monitors the latest treatment options. Al Musella is a medical professional who retired from his practice in 1998 to devote more time to helping children affected by brain tumors.