"Diffuse Intinsic Pontine Glioma or D.I.P.G. is a rare and inoperable brain tumor. Radiation treatment is available, but it's expensive and often does not eliminate the tumor."
In January a young boy in Mid Michigan was diagnosed with the rare cancer and a college baseball team stepped up to the plate to give the bright eyed 7 year-old something to smile about.
In January, Braden "Buddy" Miller was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma....an rare and inoperable brain tumor.
"Radiation has still made him quite tired, so he does the best he can to have full energy and do all the fun things but it's kind of hard for him sometimes," says Jeni Miller, Buddy's mother.
So, in April, the Spring Arbor Baseball team hosted "Team Buddy Day" to help educate fans of Buddy's battle and to uplift his spirits, while allowing Buddy to unofficially join the team for a day.
"Chris Tripplett our starting 3rd Baseman his family knows Buddy's family and so they got together shortly after Buddy was diagnosed with DIPG and they built quite the bond really quick and they just feel in love and Buddy's an enthusiastic young kid, just a big smile and just loves life and our guys just love being around him and so we just thought it would be a really cool opportunity to celebrate Buddy," says Spring Arbor Baseball Coach Ryan Marken.
Buddy threw out the first pitch and later signed a letter of intent, heartwarming gestures to Jeni Miller, Braden's mother.
"That they're willing to take the time to follow his story and get involved and care enough to make a special day for him, it means more than we could ever express in words for sure," says Miller.
Nothing could have prepared the Millers for the challenges of coping with D.I.P.G.
"Every day and every moment is really different. There are moments he is absolutely fine and happy and he just takes a turn some days are wonderful just as they were prior to this diagnosis, other days are not so great so we just enjoy and embrace every moment so especially the fun and happy ones," says Miller.
The Spring Arbor Baseball team also benefited from their newest teammate.
"I think that to have Buddy out here really puts things in perspective that this is a game and we're talking about a 7 year old boy that's fighting for his life and just to see his attitudes towards life is great and I just hope that our guys see that," says Marken.
The Miller family is still seeking help for radiation treatments on its Go Fund Me page.
For Buddy and his family, this battle against an incurable disease will be an everyday fight.
Shortly after this story was put together, Buddy had an MRI and there was a reduction in the size of the tumor after his latest radiation treatment.
