MMEF

I can never express the gratitude my family has been provided during this nightmare. The outpouring of love has been beyond measure. And as we have gone through this process, I have been plagued with the question “why?” I have also asked for a miracle, and as Melina is now home and comfortable, I continue to realize she is the miracle.

I have contemplated and obsessed about what I have needed during this process, and I realize I didn’t want support, I wanted a cure. I don’t ever want another family to experience the pain and heartache that we have.

After Melina’s second brain surgery the neurosurgery team checked her in the morning. When they came back that afternoon, they began to ask Melina how she was feeling. Melina interrupted them and asked, “how was your surgery?” The neurosurgeon stopped, looked at me, and said “how can a four year old have that empathy?”

In a time of a million questions, that was and is the one I can answer. It is because she is special, because she has always loved others, because she has a heart beyond measure, and because she is and has always chosen joy. Melina has more empathy at four than I will have in my lifetime.

From this I realize she is going to be the miracle for others. She is going to be the cure. She is going to save others. She is going to bring joy to families because she will be the source of finding the cure. And I will spend the rest of my life honoring her life and her mission.

My precious girl has started The Melina Michelle Edenfield Foundation. Every penny we raise will be donated to research of these horrible tumors and shared with hundreds of research facilities. Our donations will help find the cure to continue to give families joy. We will find the answers because Melina demands that we do, and she deserves nothing less.