Philadelphia: A Gilbertsville teen who inherited a rare genetic disease that increased her risk of getting cancer passed away after bravely fighting three types of cancers at once
Rylee Monahan, a 14-year-old Pope John Paul II High School (PJPII) student in Gilbertsville, Philadelphia, passed away after battling three types of cancers. The PJPII announced the sad news in an emotional post on Facebook.
“It is with extremely heavy heart that Pope John Paul II High School informs the PJP community of the passing of Rylee Monahan, a member of the Freshman class. In this time of great sorrow, our prayers and condolences go out to her sister, Maddy, and the Monahan family.”
What happened to Rylee Monahan?
Rylee Monahan was diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare hereditary disease that increases her risk of getting cancer at an early age. She inherited this disease from her father, Ryan Monahan, who was diagnosed with bone cancer in his right leg in 1990 at the age of 11. He has battled four types of cancers since then. At age 45, he is still fighting cancer.
He passed the genetic mutation on to his daughters, Rylee and her 18-year-old sister, Madison. While Madison is so far cancer-free, Rylee was 9 when doctors diagnosed her with brain cancer. Since then, she has been diagnosed with two other types of cancers and underwent three brain surgeries, two skull surgeries to treat bone cancer, and several rounds of radiation and chemotherapy. 14-year-old Rylee bravely fought a brain tumor, osteosarcoma, and ovarian cancer.
Her parents recently appealed to the community for prayers on social media as she was battling for life. Despite the limitless prayers from her well-wishers and concerned community, Rylee lost her battle and passed away.
Who was Rylee Manahan?
Rylee Monahan was a 14-year-old freshman at Pope John Paul II High School. She was a native of Gilbertsville, Philadelphia. Rylee loved golf, a passion she inherited from her father, Ryan Monahan, who went to college on a golf scholarship. She played on the junior varsity team at PJP High School in Royersford.
She was a resilient and brave young girl who showed enormous courage and bravery in the face of adversity. She had been diagnosed with three types of cancer, which she battled with an undeterred spirit. In August 2023, she had a biopsy of a suspected tumor on one of her ovaries. Two days later, she went on the golf course with her father, doing what she loved.
“She takes it like a champ,” said her sister Madison Monahan, who plays volleyball for PJP II and escorted her family onto the court during a fundraiser for cancer research in October 2022. Madison plans to study biology in college and help find a cure for cancer.
Rylee participated in the 2023 Parkway Run & Walk, along with her family, to raise money for pediatric cancer research. It was organized by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which named Rylee an “ambassador.” Her team “Rock Star Rylee: One Step Closer,” raised over $22,000 in donations.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
