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Rebecca's Page 
Welcome to Rebecca's page. Rebecca Guiliani was a very brave and special nine year old. In January 2002 Rebecca was diagnosed with Brain Stem Glioma, a rare and unoperable brain tumor located in the pontine region of the brain. After discovery, she had surgery to relieve the pressure from her brain and also completed chemotherapy and radiation treatments in March 2002. Her condition improved for a few months, but then began to take a turn in the opposite direction. She started another round of experimental chemotherapy at National Institutes of Health (NIH) but was taken off the protocol because it wasn't being effective. She died on December 20th, 2002 and now lives in heaven with a perfect body, disease free. We miss her beyond words. She touched so many lives.
She lived in Virginia Beach, VA with her family: Heidi (mom), John (Step dad), Michelle, Sarah, Heather, Aaron, and Emma. She also has another brother, Jay, who is now in the Marine Corp.
Her hobbies were listening to country music (Shania Twain, Toby Keith, Dixie Chicks and Tommy Shane Steiner) and watching Country Music Television (CMT). She also enjoyed NASCAR Racing (Jeff Gordon) and local racing at Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA where many of her friends race, including John, JT, Jan, Tracy, Steve and Scott. She attended Indian Lakes Elementary School in Virginia Beach, VA and was an outstanding third grader, recognized as Citizen of the Month for April 2002.
We decided to keep her website running to share her story and maybe be of some kind of help to anyone else who may be going through something similar.
Journal
Monday, January 06, 2003 10:20 AM CST Hello friends,
It has been a long time since we posted anything but I just couldn't bear to come to this page and do an update that didn't include an update on my baby. There are so many people I want to thank for their part in our lives. We have been flooded with generosity and encouragement, and have found strength through all of you.
First let me thank the doctors and nurses at CHKD, at NIH, and at Childrens National Medical Center. Edmarc Hospice was a godsend. All of the people at these places gave their all and then gave us the strength to let Rebecca go in peace.
The church, ECBC, gave us so much love, prayers, and encouragement. I don't know how we would have gotten through without them. Brother Jay gave a most perfect eulogy and Preacher Chris Brown gave the most beautiful sermon ever. He was there with us the morning Becca went to the hospital for the last time. The ladies from the church were at the hospital with me the last night Becca was here. Marie and Linda were always doing something for us. These two ladies came into our lives like magic. They just appeared and started doing things for us! Mrs. Miller took care of all the funeral criteria. I didn't know what I was supposed to do and she just took it all in her hands and made everything perfect. The ladies from the church had a meal all prepared for us when we came back from the funeral. Thanks to all you wonderful folks along with the many that I have not mentioned who worked behind the scene. I love you all!
Robin Hoods of Virginia Beach gave us a most wonderful Christmas. They put on the most amazing scene at our house the night that me and Becca were at the hospital. Becca would have been in awe...the carolers, the candy, the food, presents, Santa, and two trollies packed with people!What a most wonderful organization!
They were not the only ones to bring gifts to the kids...ECBC, Kempsville Middle School, and S&K sales. They all had the kids names under their angel trees. What a most generous group! And let me not forget to mention SFI who did a fund raiser for Becca and a great meal at Olive Garden. Becca loved it!
The "Ford Vets" at the Ford plant, had planned to give Becca a shopping spree, but after hearing of Becca's death, they continued to collect money and gave it to us on Becca's behalf. We were in absolute awe!!
The teachers at Becca's school have been so good to us. Mrs. Gerek was here every week to do a little art project or read a book to Becca. It made Becca's day. The quilt that the school made us is something I will cherish forever! All the teachers have given us so much love and have taken little Emma under their wing to watch over her during this whole ordeal. The older kids school has also been there for us. They have given the kids a shoulder to cry on and words of encouragement.
As for our dear, dear, personal friends here at home...I don't even have the words. What would we have done without you all!? Jan, Scott, Steve, Roberta, Traci, Mary Jo, Bill, Mike, Don and so many more...we love you all so much! Our neighbors are included in this group also. You all have been so good to us!!
Wendy, Van and Nathan...I am so thankful you came into our lives when you did! Thank you for sharing with us!
Now..all of our long distance friends and friends from the website...God Bless You!! You gave us something to look forward to everday! So many of you wrote daily, sent cards, gifts or sent your prayers and love. We got to know many of you well even if we never saw you. Lots of you we never wrote back to because time was scarce, but please know that nobody was overlooked!! There are so many names I would love to mention but I am too afraid that I would leave somebody out! Just know that we love you ALL!
Most of all, I don't know what I would have done without my Mom and Dad..along with the rest of my family. They would do ANYTHING we needed! We love them SOOOOO much!!! John's family also, although they are not local, would have done anything at all needed! We love you too!!!
We could not have done anything without the never-ending, abundant love of The Lord! I truly think He inspired us to tear apart out kitchen just a few weeks before Christmas just so that we would have something to keep our minds occupied in a great time of grief. We are still tackling this job!
As for us personally, we are doing o.k. Not a day goes by that we don't think about our sweet angel Becca but we try to focus on the joy she is full of at this moment...We love you baby girl!!!
We plan on keeping her website up for a while to share with anybody else going through a similar ordeal. We were so blessed by this website...we hate to give it up!
We uploaded new pictures. Check them out if you would like.
Love to you all!
Heidi
Read Journal History
Links: http://www.caringbridge.org/va/brandonh
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