The arrival of a child is usually defined by overwhelming joy, but for Joe and Jennifer McGillis, that happiness quickly turned into fear. When their daughter Sloan was born on February 25, 2015, they immediately noticed a large growth covering part of her face—something no ultrasound had detected.
Just three days after her birth, Sloan was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, where doctors confirmed the mass was a tumor. While it was thankfully non-cancerous, the situation remained serious.
“They handed her to me,” Jennifer told Inside Edition, recalling the first moment she saw Sloan with the tumor. “I went into shock at that point.”
“I had about a minute of panic terror,” Joe added.
Amid the uncertainty, one reassuring voice stood out. Dr. Hardy quickly identified the condition and gave the family hope.
“He walked into Sloan’s hospital room when she was just born, looked at her & said, “That is a hemangioma & she will be just fine. Your daughter is going to be ok.” And for the 1st time in 48 hours, I think I was able to breathe again,” Jennifer wrote on Facebook.
A hemangioma is a benign vascular growth that appears as a red or purple mark on the skin. Though not life-threatening, it can still cause complications depending on its size and location—something Sloan’s family soon had to confront.
Had her first surgery at eight months old
“When she was born, it was hard as a rock,” Jennifer told the Billings Gazette. “It was like having a grapefruit under your skin.”
In Sloan’s case, the tumor covered much of her left cheek and raised concerns about her facial muscles and basic functions. She struggled to fully close her mouth, requiring her to wear a bib constantly due to drooling.
“She just doesn’t seem to know it’s there, she’s grown up with it,” Jennifer explained. “We’ve done nothing to treat it as a visibility.”
Doctors initially recommended waiting to see if the tumor would shrink naturally. However, her parents couldn’t ignore the potential social challenges she might face growing up.
“The world is cruel sometimes,” Joe said.
“Sometimes adults are worse about it than other children,” Jennifer added. “Many parents of children with hemangioma are accused of child abuse.”
At eight months old, Sloan underwent her first surgery after her parents consulted specialists across the United States. They ultimately turned to Dr. Milton Waner of the Vascular Birthmark Institute in New York, a leading authority in vascular anomalies.
On January 6, 2016, Sloan was prepared for the life-changing procedure.
Jennifer later described the emotional weight of that day on social media.
“I prayed that was not the last time I held her”
“They had a plan, but we knew we couldn’t expect the entire tumor to be gone & you can never mentally prepare yourself to see your baby cut all over their face with 100’s of sutures & tubes coming out of them. I look back on this 1st experience & my stomach goes in knots just thinking about the moment I held her in the operating room with the mask over her face & watched her eyes roll back in her head,” Jennifer wrote.
“In that moment, as I think most parents would have a wave of fear come over them, I prayed that was not the last time I held her. Surgery itself is scary enough but to have to make the decision to have it done on your infant is gut wrenching. Were we doing the right thing? Was it to much for her little body? Will the pain be too much for her & she can’t tell us?”
Surgeons made incisions around Sloan’s eye, nose, and mouth to access the tumor, successfully removing about 90 percent of it. A week later, laser treatment was used to target remaining blood vessels and restore her skin tone.
However, the family soon faced another challenge. The hospital in New York did not accept their insurance, leaving them with overwhelming medical expenses. Determined to continue Sloan’s treatment, they turned to online fundraising for support.
Slone McGillis’ family was given more than $100 000 for medical costs
Community support quickly poured in. A local bank in Missoula established a medical fund, while online donations exceeded $30,000. Soon after, the Hannah Storm Foundation stepped in and covered the cost of Sloan’s surgeries and hospital stays.
In total, more than $100,000 was raised.
“Everything we were worried about just fell away,” Jennifer told Missoulian. “We didn’t have to worry about how to pay for all of this.”
Joe added, “They aren’t donating to us, they are donating to her, and it was tough to wrap our heads around that for a while. Sloan’s changed us, she’s made us stronger and made us better people.”
Over the following year, Sloan underwent nine additional procedures. One of them focused specifically on reducing scarring, marking a major step toward recovery. Throughout it all, her journey was documented on the family’s Facebook page, where supporters followed her progress closely.
The family also met ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, who personally supported Sloan’s case.
“I was born with a port wine birthmark stain on my face. Without makeup, even to this day [it] looks like a black eye,” Storm told Inside Edition.
Jennifer later described her daughter as a “miracle,” expressing gratitude that Sloan now had “a chance at a better life.”
This is Sloan McGillis today
Sloan’s story soon reached audiences across the country, inspiring hundreds of messages of encouragement. She also received support from the Jadyn Fred Foundation, which gifted her a pony to bring joy during her recovery.
As the years passed, Sloan embraced a normal childhood—making friends, getting a dog, and exploring new hobbies. Now 11 years old, she is thriving and enjoying life to the fullest.
She has built a following of nearly 5,000 people on Facebook and is learning to play both golf and baseball.
“I didn’t know that my little girl was half as brave as she has proven herself to be,” her mother, Jennifer, wrote on Facebook in January 2020.
“She has taken us places we never expected. She loves so hard & she is so smart, funny, & sensitive, but also stubborn & determined too. I always tell people that there was a reason this was given to Sloan & it’s because she is the one tough enough to go through it all. To all that have followed on this journey with us, THANK YOU! I’ve said it before & I’ll say it again…. your prayers touched us, gave us hope & got us through days like this one 4 years ago. To Sloan, I love you, Noanie, you’re nothing short of amazing & don’t ever forget that.”
Praised Dr. Hardy
In May 2021, Sloan’s family attended what would be their final routine check-up with Dr. Hardy—who had become far more than just a physician to them.
“It’s difficult for me as a mom to put into words the gratitude I have for him. He will never truly know what he has done for Sloan, myself & my family,” Jeniffer McGillis wrote. “Thank you for doing things for my daughter that we, as her parents could not. Thank you for our monthly visits that I’m certain I looked forward to much more than Sloan; I truly think of you as a friend now.”
Even after the tumor’s removal, Sloan continued to face some medical challenges. Doctors monitored changes in her orbital bone, which had thickened due to proteins produced by the tumor.
Still, the latest update—shared on February 25, 2026, her 11th birthday—shows a happy, energetic child living a full and active life.
Her mother wrote on Facebook, “It’s crazy to look back on the journey she has taken us on, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s made us all stronger, better humans because she’s been such an amazing example of strength and resilience while remaining loving and compassionate. I am so very thankful each and every day to call you my girl, Sloan Emery.”
Sloan McGillis’ journey stands as a powerful example of resilience, medical expertise, and community support—proving that even the most difficult beginnings can lead to remarkable outcomes.
