Rylin, a young fighter whose smile lights up even the toughest hospital days, has reached several hard-won milestones after a rare and serious setback in her cancer treatment.

About two weeks ago, Rylin developed transverse myelitis — an extremely rare reaction to the Dinutuximab immunotherapy she was receiving. The condition caused severe inflammation in her spinal cord and brain, leaving her arms, legs, and bladder paralyzed.

Since then, she has undergone intense physical and occupational therapy, high-dose steroids, and five rounds of IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin), a treatment made from donated plasma that helps calm an overactive immune system and reduce inflammation.

The efforts are paying off. Rylin has regained movement throughout her entire right side. Her left arm has also begun to move again, though it remains weak. Her left leg has not yet shown movement, and full bladder function has not returned, requiring her family to learn catheterization.

But this morning brought joyful news: Rylin urinated on her own for the first time. What might seem small to others is a huge milestone for her family, offering strong hope that her body continues to heal. They are now praying for her left leg to be next.

The past two weeks have been emotionally and physically exhausting. It has been especially heartbreaking to watch Rylin relearn skills she had already fought so hard to regain after her earlier craniotomy. Yet her parents say she remains stronger than most adults they know — a true fighter who keeps pushing forward one step at a time.

Yesterday marked another major victory: Rylin was discharged from the hospital and left with her new wheelchair. While not the full recovery the family ultimately hopes for, the “new wheels” are giving her freedom to be a kid again while her body continues healing.

Today she restarted chemotherapy and will continue outpatient treatment through Friday. After that, the family gets to go home for two full weeks — perfectly timed so they can celebrate Rylin’s 8th birthday at home on Saturday. After everything she has endured, being home for her birthday is a gift they do not take for granted.

The family is asking for continued prayers specifically for complete healing of Rylin’s spinal cord and brain, return of movement to her left leg, and ongoing recovery of bladder function. They firmly believe God is still writing her story.

That bright smile in the photo says it all: Rylin is a warrior, and she is not done fighting.