"Thank you to our incredible donors. It makes my heart sing that there are so many that still feel passionate about finding a cure and keeping our girl's memory alive.  We won't rest until there is a cure." - Nadine Haskin 

Ila was always a sweet, loving, and patient child. She never hesitated to tell people she loved them. She was sunshine in human form, and everyone who met her fell instantly in love. Her favorite things to do were spending time with her family, playing with her friends, and petting her dog. She was her family's whole world; they were all absolutely obsessed with her from the day she was born.

Ila was 3-years-old when she was diagnosed with DIPG, a fast-growing and inoperable form of brain cancer, and it turned her family’s lives upside-down. Ila knew she was sick and needed treatments, but her parents never told her how sick. For her, thankfully, her life was a glorious ride. Trips to Disney, the beach, buying her anything she wanted, and gifts in the mail. Her family soaked in every day, every moment, and just surrounded her with love and good memories. She was the embodiment of love and never went a moment without making sure her family knew she loved them. Her intense passion would sometimes lead to anger, but all it ever took to pull her out of the grumpies was smooches, silly hugs, or a game of putting things on her head until she would smile.

Ila was able to maintain most of her abilities after diagnosis, including ballet. She danced clear up until her last few months. Once she lost her motor control, she and her family began playing a lot of board games. Until her final days, her favorite activity was flipping the game board to declare the round over and laughing hysterically.

Ila courageously battled for 19 months before she passed away on May 30, 2019, at the age of 5. The world is a little emptier without Ila in it. She had so much warmth and love to offer, and she was a true unicorn in almost every sense of the word, bringing so much light and wonder to so many lives. Never defined by her condition, Ila will continue to be an inspiration in strength, love, and resilience.

There is a distinct lack of funding for pediatric cancer research, specifically brain cancers. With an increase in funding, a cure will be found sooner rather than later. And one day, the world will be able to see all of our children grow up and do all of the wonderful things they had planned. Ila was young, but she had dreams she deserved to pursue, and through research funding, other children may have a chance.

Thank you for choosing to donate to The Cure Starts Now Foundation. 100% of this donation, after credit card processing fees, goes directly towards research to find the homerun cure for cancer starting with pediatric brain cancer research.

If you would like to make a donation by mail please send a check to:  The Cure Starts Now Foundation; 10280 Chester Road; Cincinnati, OH 45215 and put the child's name in the memo.

The family receives notification of all donations made to this tribute fund automatically.