Brody’s brave fight that’s now giving hope to kids with cancer
After losing 13-year-old Brody to a rare brain tumor, his family turned heartbreak into hope for childhood cancer research.
When 13-year-old Brody Huber started feeling tired and complaining of headaches, his family thought it was part of growing up. But within days, that small sign led to a heartbreaking diagnosis that changed their lives forever — and eventually sparked hope for families facing childhood cancer around the world.
Brody was an active, outdoors-loving boy from Denver, known by family and friends as the “golden boy.” He loved biking, camping, and being outside. That’s why, in June 2020, when he cut a camping trip short because of a persistent headache, his mother, Tina, knew something wasn’t right.
“He was always so strong,” Tina told Daily Mail. “I just had this weird feeling.”
At first, doctors suspected it could be due to a growth spurt. But Tina’s intuition pushed her to ask for an MRI. Just two hours after the scan, the family received the news no parent ever expects — Brody had a large mass on the right side of his brain.
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The diagnosis no one wants to hear
Two days later, Brody underwent surgery to relieve pressure in his brain and confirm the diagnosis. The results were devastating. He had diffuse midline glioma (DMG), an aggressive and inoperable brain tumor that primarily affects children.
“It’s considered the worst of the worst,” Tina recalled. Doctors told her that with radiation, Brody might have six to nine months to live. Without it, only three.
Determined to fight, Brody faced treatment with courage beyond his years. He completed six weeks of radiation and tried complementary therapies like meditation, acupuncture, and Reiki. Eventually, he was accepted into a promising clinical trial at the Vitanza Lab at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where doctors delivered medicine directly into the brain through a special device.
Despite every effort, Brody’s cancer continued to spread. When he learned the news, he told his mom quietly, “I really thought I had it, Mom.”
Turning loss into legacy
In March 2021, just eight months after his diagnosis, Brody passed away at the age of 14. His family’s grief was unimaginable, but they refused to let his story end in sadness.
Tina and Jeff created the Brody Huber Foundation to fund research into diffuse midline glioma and support other families facing similar diagnoses. Since then, the foundation has raised more than $85,000 for the Vitanza Lab and plans to send another $50,000 on November 21, 2025 — what would have been Brody’s 19th birthday.
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“Brody didn’t want others to suffer,” Tina said. “We don’t want any family to go through what we did.”
Brody also made an extraordinary final wish: he donated his brain and spine to science so researchers could study his tumor and work toward a cure.
Thanks to efforts like those of the Brody Huber Foundation, researchers at Seattle Children’s are now making progress. In a recent study, children who received CAR-T cell therapy for DMG lived nearly twice as long as before — an average of 20 months, compared to 11. Some children have even survived more than four years, an outcome once thought impossible, according to Stanford Medicine.
Each donation made in Brody’s name continues to push that work forward, giving other families a fighting chance. His story has become a symbol of courage, love, and the power of turning pain into purpose.
Brody’s journey reminds us how quickly life can change — from camping trips to hospital rooms, from carefree laughter to unimaginable strength. Yet even in heartbreak, his story shines with hope.
Through his family’s love and determination, Brody’s life is helping to change the future of childhood cancer research. His legacy proves that even the smallest acts of courage can light the way for others.
