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— Shortly after Addi DeBord woke up from a 15 1/2-hour surgery, the Vergas teenager received news that shocked even her surgeon.

The 15-year-old daughter of Cassie and Allen DeBord learned months ago she has stage 4 cancer. She underwent surgery to remove a massive tumor that was wrapped around her heart and had tentacle-like fingers stretching to her stomach.

The day following the surgery, she woke after hearing her father's voice. After getting her bearings, her mother told her some bad news.

"I told her they had to remove one of her kidneys, so her diet may have to change," Cassie said, noting her daughter has a penchant for a particular fizzy soda. "I told her she may only get to have one Dr. Pepper a week, maybe."

A short time later, a surgeon walked in with news that dropped jaws and sent Addi's eyes wide open. It turned out they had not removed a kidney. There was a tumor shaped like a kidney, and in the location where a kidney was supposed to be.

"Her other kidney was so displaced from the tumor it had been pushed down into her pelvis," Cassie said. "When she heard she had both kidneys she shot up and said, 'So, what I'm hearing is I can have my Dr. Pepper.'"

Contributed / Cassie DeBord

Addi's aunt, Rachel Rhines explained her niece has always been an inspiration, finding a way to share a smile and joy in any situation.

"She only looks at the positive outcomes of things and always has a smile on her face," Rhines said.

In addition to a disposition wise beyond her years, her mother noted her daughter is also a source of strength in an uncertain storm.

"When we learned about the diagnosis, I was worried she wouldn't be ready," Cassie said. "I learned it was me that wasn't ready. She was most definitely ready to put her britches on and go to work."

Now, the family is asking for the community's help. A family friend arranged a fundraiser in Vergas on Friday, May 2, from 5-9 p.m. at the Vergas Event Center. There will be horse races, a silent auction, raffles and "walking tacos" will be served along with drinks from a cash bar. There is also an opportunity to provide donations online at .

The DeBord family plans to attend and expressed gratitude for the Perry family (who owns Billy's Bar) for helping arrange the benefit on their behalf.

Contributed / Cassie DeBord

The DeBords have been on the generous end of a caring community. When news broke about her daughter's diagnosis, the region rallied with a fundraiser, as Cassie is self-employed and co-owns C & G Hair Envy in Detroit Lakes. That means she cannot benefit from the Family Medical Leave Act, she said.

"My husband is still working (at Outlet Recreation)," Cassie noted, adding there are still financial struggles going from two to one incomes with three children. Addi has an older brother, Carter, and a younger brother, Linkin. "I've been with her (Addi) for every hospital stay, every clinic appointment — everything. So, the help we received helped tremendously."

While Cassie admires Addi's strength, Addi may have learned it from her parents. Some say it takes a great deal of strength to ask for and accept help when it is needed most.

Addi had endured months of pain that shifted from her legs to her shoulders. Doctors suggested it had to do with growth spurts or injuries relating to her favorite sport of softball.

While a friend noticed what seemed like an oddly placed rib, it didn't hurt; it was suggested it was just her rib. Being a person who tries to walk off the pain and move on with life, Addi did her best to take it all in stride.

The day her health ailments were properly diagnosed began with walking outside to help her family with chores. Addi explained that she often prefers baggier shirts, but that day she put on a form fitting one.

Her mom noticed a lump protruding in her stomach area. She called her daughter over and placed a hand on the lump.

"Then I called my husband over to feel it," Cassie said.

They agreed it wasn't a rib. Doctors in Fargo confirmed it, performed a biopsy and sent the family to the Mayo Clinic.

As Addi's grandmother and aunt, who live in Florida, boarded a plane to Minnesota, her mom explained the staff at Mayo Clinic helped prevent panic from setting in. In detail, they let the family know what to expect and arranged several appointments for the next day.

The next morning, while sitting with a social worker, an oncologist they had seen earlier in the day popped his head in the room and said the biopsy results were in.

"At which point we were all like, okay, well, this meeting's over," Cassie said.

With all ears tuned into the oncologist, the DeBord family learned Addi has stage-four high-risk neuroblastoma.

Contributed / Cassie Debord

"Neuroblastoma is Adrenal cancer," Cassie explained, noting it is typically found in children five years of age and younger.

Addi began induction chemotherapy, but five rounds of it had adverse effects — the tumor was growing.

"The team at Mayo has been phenomenal," Cassie said. "They're not afraid to think outside the box, especially with her diagnosis being so rare."

Outside the box was the idea of treating Addi with immunotherapy, a version of chemotherapy that boosts the immune system to fight the cancer on its own, Cassie explained. "The other thing that it does is ... it finds the hiding cancer cells, pulls them out of hiding and essentially puts a beacon on it. So when the chemo goes in, it knows exactly what to target and kills it."

While the change in treatment helped shrink the tumor, it came with great pain to Addi. Still, she endured and allowed her body to heal until she could undergo surgery to remove the tumor. Her mom noted about 90% of the mass was removed, with other parts remaining due to their proximity to vital organs.

Through it all, Addi has tried her best to keep up with grades and stay in touch with friends.

"I have to say that it's a little more tricky now because I'm not there all the time," the Detroit Lakes High ÍáÍáÂþ»­ sophomore said. "I miss things I need to learn, and then I usually come back on a test day, so I'm not sure what to do."

"My best friend will help me with the class I'm struggling with, and my counselor will try and make everything easier for me," she continued, noting that extra effort means a lot to her.