Chantel Miller leaned forward and pressed her forehead to her eldest daughter’s, Raelyn Miller-Ramirez. The 10-year-old began to burst with laughter. Her mother’s touch was a simple gesture. But her presence gave Raelyn an unspoken sense of security, one that carries extra significance to a blind child.
Raelyn was diagnosed with medulloblastoma grade IV – a cancerous tumor that forms in the central nervous system. Surgeons removed the 5-centimeter mass located on her cerebellum. In the process, Raelyn lost her vision and developed posterior fossa syndrome – forcing her to relearn how to walk and talk. Now cancer-free, Raelyn is the Kid Captain for Iowa football’s game against Maryland on Nov. 23.
In 2020, doctors told Raelyn she was suffering vertigo after bouts of imbalance. Miller said her “mom sense” led her to believe otherwise.
Prior to entering first grade that year, Raelyn went for a routine eye check-up in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. When the doctor noticed substantial swelling, he urged Miller to take Raelyn to the Dorn Becker Children’s Hospital immediately.
“The doctor came in and did the big, deep sigh and pulled up his pant leg, sat down. He said, ‘You’re not going home,’” Miller said.
In the heat of the pandemic, Miller and Raelyn spent an abundance of time isolated in hospitals.
The two spent three weeks post-operation in Portland, then the next six weeks were spent undergoing radiation treatment in Seattle, Washington.
“I had a 1-year-old baby at home. They weren’t allowed in the hospital because of COVID. It was lonely, terrifying,” Miller said. “You’d see other parents masked and crying, but you couldn’t even show emotion because you weren’t allowed to touch anybody.”
After Raelyn’s treatment in the Pacific Northwest, Miller weighed a tough decision about where her daughter should continue treatment.
Chantel, born and raised in Davenport, Iowa, knew that Stead Family Children’s Hospital was a clear winner. In 2021, two years after Raelyn was cleared from six-month scans, Chantel made the decision to move her family almost 2,000 miles across the country back to her hometown.
Chantel bought three plane tickets, one for herself, one for Raelyn, and one for her youngest son. Her husband made the cross-country drive.
“We moved with clothes and some toys for the kids. That was it,” she said.
And Stead Family Children’s Hospital proved to be worth the trip.
“It’s been a breath of fresh air,” she said. “They were on top of it, and they were welcoming with open arms and just kind of waiting to help us.”
Raelyn has been cancer-free for four years. Just as he does for all Kid Captains, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz recognized Raelyn during his weekly press conference. He said Raelyn is active in Girl Scouts and loves to play the violin.
Navigating life with a white cane and the help of UIHC specialists and her family, Raelyn is where she is today.
“Just another really good story,” Ferentz said. “We’ll be proud to represent her and her family this weekend.”
For a young girl who spent many days in and out of different hospitals and loves school, there’s a clear choice when it comes to her future career aspirations.
“A doctor,” Raelyn said.