AJ's Brain Cancer Treatment Fund
Donation protected
November 7th 2015 was the day that AJ’s life was going to change.
My 21 year old brother AJ had graduated from ITT Technical Institute with an Associates in Graphic Communication and Design in June 2014. He was working on refining his skills as a graphic designer in hopes of designing and developing video games in the future. He noticed recently a delay in his left side when playing games, or working on the computer.
On November 7th, while alone in his room, AJ experienced his first seizure that rendered him unable to breathe, causing him to pass out. When he regained consciousness, he found his way to the living room where mom and dad could tell something was wrong and called an ambulance. After bringing him to Sweetwater Hospital in Sweetwater, TN, doctors found what appeared to be a mass on the right side of AJ’s brain. Not equipped to confirm the diagnosis, Sweetwater hospital transported AJ to the University of Tennessee’s Neurocritical Care Unit where they confirmed a “golf ball” sized tumor on the right side of his brain.
On December 16th AJ underwent a 6 hour procedure to remove the tumor. He was home by the 20th and began his recovery while being able to spend Christmas at home with his family. Unfortunately within a few weeks following the surgery AJ experienced a couple more seizures and needed to be further evaluated.
On January 6th 2016 while sitting in the UT oncology office with his family, AJ learned the tumor was a grade 4 Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (PNET.) PNETs contain underdeveloped brain cells, are highly malignant, and tend to spread throughout the central nervous system. It is a rare and extremely aggressive cancer usually found in young children with a high likelihood of recurrence.
AJ will be going through scans next week to determine if the cancer spread through the spinal column and also be administered a lumbar puncture to test the fluid (cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. After the scans he will begin 6 weeks of proton therapy at the Provision Proton Therapy Center followed up with Chemotherapy at UT’s Cancer Center.
With the medical bills from the recent surgery already mounting, our family is looking for your help through this difficult time. The expenses for AJ’s treatments will be significant and we would be so very appreciative of any support you can provide.
Sincerely,
AJ, Albert, Karen, Sara and David
My 21 year old brother AJ had graduated from ITT Technical Institute with an Associates in Graphic Communication and Design in June 2014. He was working on refining his skills as a graphic designer in hopes of designing and developing video games in the future. He noticed recently a delay in his left side when playing games, or working on the computer.
On November 7th, while alone in his room, AJ experienced his first seizure that rendered him unable to breathe, causing him to pass out. When he regained consciousness, he found his way to the living room where mom and dad could tell something was wrong and called an ambulance. After bringing him to Sweetwater Hospital in Sweetwater, TN, doctors found what appeared to be a mass on the right side of AJ’s brain. Not equipped to confirm the diagnosis, Sweetwater hospital transported AJ to the University of Tennessee’s Neurocritical Care Unit where they confirmed a “golf ball” sized tumor on the right side of his brain.
On December 16th AJ underwent a 6 hour procedure to remove the tumor. He was home by the 20th and began his recovery while being able to spend Christmas at home with his family. Unfortunately within a few weeks following the surgery AJ experienced a couple more seizures and needed to be further evaluated.
On January 6th 2016 while sitting in the UT oncology office with his family, AJ learned the tumor was a grade 4 Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (PNET.) PNETs contain underdeveloped brain cells, are highly malignant, and tend to spread throughout the central nervous system. It is a rare and extremely aggressive cancer usually found in young children with a high likelihood of recurrence.
AJ will be going through scans next week to determine if the cancer spread through the spinal column and also be administered a lumbar puncture to test the fluid (cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. After the scans he will begin 6 weeks of proton therapy at the Provision Proton Therapy Center followed up with Chemotherapy at UT’s Cancer Center.
With the medical bills from the recent surgery already mounting, our family is looking for your help through this difficult time. The expenses for AJ’s treatments will be significant and we would be so very appreciative of any support you can provide.
Sincerely,
AJ, Albert, Karen, Sara and David
Organiser and beneficiary
Sara Ruggiero Pastorello
Organiser
Madisonville, TN
Albert Ruggiero
Beneficiary