A 7-year-old Marana girl who had undergone treatment earlier this year for a brain tumor died Thursday at her home.
Peyton Rudd died in her mother's arms with her father by her side after battling an aggressive, malignant tumor, a glioblastoma multiforme, for more than a year, said her father, Walter Rudd.
Peyton had fought the tumor since June 2007, when her parents noticed she had trouble controlling her balance as she walked.
Surgery removed 90 percent of the tumor, but in January an MRI revealed it had returned. A test in April showed new tumor growth, Walter Rudd said.
Her parents continued to seek treatments but decided to provide hospice services for Peyton at their home as her condition worsened, he said.
Walter Rudd and his wife, JoDee, described their daughter as a loving child who cared for her 4-year-old brother, Weston.
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"She was the most loving child that God ever created," Walter Rudd said.
"She was blessed, and we were blessed to have been a part of her life," he said.
Numerous businesses and organizations, including the Tucson Sidewinders booster club, came together to support Peyton and her family.
The organizations raised thousands of dollars through auctions and other fundraisers for her medical bills. Two fundraisers in June raised more than $20,000.
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