Mom launches "Hoodies for Healing" to fund daughter's brain surgery

When a Cypress teen’s health took a frightening turn, her mother jumped into action. Now, the community has joined her.

DyAnna Tucker, 19, graduated from Cypress Falls High School in 2018. She’s just about to wrap up her first year of nursing school at Prairie View A&M University, and she’s not letting anything stop her – not even a painful cyst in her brain.

“The [doctor] said, ‘Oh it’s just stress -- first year college student,’” recalled her mother, Rosemary Tucker, after DyAnna suddenly began having severe headaches around Thanksgiving last year.

Rosemary says the headaches were dismissed as a symptom of food poisoning and, later, a sinus infection.

But, the day after Christmas, DyAnna was rushed to the emergency room.

“She couldn’t move the right side of her body and she’s like, “No mom. My head really, really hurts,’” Rosemary told FOX 26.

After multiple tests, a CT scan revealed DyAnna has a pineal gland cyst – right in the center of her brain. It is the size of a marble.

While most people with this type of cyst will never show symptoms, in rare cases like DyAnna’s, they can cause constant, severe headaches, vision problems, and muscle spasms.

“Sometimes I have spasms out of nowhere. There’s so much pressure in my head sometimes that I just have to lay down,” Dyanna explained.

Due to blurred vision, she had to give up driving. She’s so sensitive to light and sound, she is either in class or in her room.  

If DyAnna doesn’t get the cyst removed, it could lead to seizures or buildup of spinal fluid within her brain. On May 29th, after classes are over, she’s getting surgery to have it removed at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Then, she’ll need about 6 weeks to recover.

Rosemary says they surgery costs at least $60,000. DyAnna doesn’t have health insurance.

“I said ‘Okay, Mommy’s going to sell $60,000 worth of hoodies,” she stated.

“Hoodies for Healing” was the natural next step for Rosemary who has owned Blessties since 2012 -- Christian clothing boutique in Cypress.

She began selling the hoodies a month ago and already sold more than 200. She’s determined to sell 2,200 more to cover the cost of the surgery.

“Every design in this boutique she has made because of past problems or tribulations,” said DyAnna.  

The “I am Healed” design was born.

“I wanted [DyAnna] to just get up every day quoting this, ‘I am healed’ Isaiah 53:5. That’s the only thing I wanted her to think about,” explained Rosemary.

Rosemary says the community’s support has been overwhelming and she is already working on plans to pay it forward. After Dyanna’s recovered, the campaign will be used to help others battling a chronic illness.

DyAnna says she’s thankful for the support and prayers.

“I’m very thankful for that and I’m very blessed. And I know I’m going to be healed,” she affirmed.

Since, hoodies won’t work for Houston summers, Rosemary has already created other “I am Healed” merchandise including t-shirts, aprons, and candles.