HARTLAND -- Emma Mertens, an 8-year-old girl from Hartland battling a rare brain tumor, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 17, according to a post on the "Emma Loves Dogs" Facebook page.
FOX6 News introduced you to Emma Mertens in February after her family requested letters and photos from dogs to raise the young girl's spirits after she was diagnosed with a DIPG brain tumor. She received more than 75,000 letters from 50 countries.
In March, she received an extra special surprise from over 35 K-9 teams from around the state of Wisconsin.
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In late August, in honor of her eighth birthday, her parents announced the launch of the Emma Loves Dogs Foundation, with a mission of providing "financial assistance to organizations that share Emma’s passion for helping animals, such as police K-9 units and no-kill animal shelters."
CLICK HERE to learn more about the foundation.
A neighbor offered this statement on Emma's passing:
The Mertens offered this information about DIPG brain tumors:
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