Valentina the Brave!

Wednesday, June 13, 2018, is a day that the Guiulfo Gamallo family will never forget. A routine MRI showed a tumor on the brainstem of their daughter, Valentina, only 18-months-old. Instead of heading home to play with her big brother – six-year-old Mauricio – Valentina was immediately admitted to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Over the next few weeks, Valentina would undergo three surgeries.

Miraculously, none of this has phased Valentina the Brave or her wonderful family. Valentina now keeps very busy in Aurora Day Camp!

“Thanks to Aurora, our son understood that his sister is not the only child fighting this battle, and that was a huge support for him and for our entire family.” – Jocy Guiulfo Gamallo, Valentina and Mauricio’s mother

Mauricio joined Aurora Day Camp in 2019, before Valentina was able to attend. From the beginning, it was clear that Mauricio thrived in the camp environment, quickly making friends, always helping his counselors, and singing!

“Aurora means love, family, unity, uniqueness, happiness, hope, joy, respect, friendship, dedication, tolerance, patience, kindness, and much more. Thanks to Aurora, our son understood that his sister is not the only child fighting this battle, and that was a huge support for him and for our entire family. We do understand that angels sometimes don’t have wings, and the people who work at Aurora are that kind of angel without wings. Our gratitude and blessings to each Aurora member are endless.” – Jocy Guiulfo Gamallo