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Hi, my name is Tom Sitnik, and I am a father of two beautiful children, a 6-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son. My daughter, Monica, is currently battling for her life, due to a malignant brain tumor known as High Risk Medulloblastoma Group 3, which affects on average only 20 children in Canada a year. In August of 2015, Monica lost her appetite, started to vomit frequently and was also complaining of headaches. For the next two months Monica was examined by no less than 15 doctors, who continued to insist that she only had a stomach virus. Over the course of these two months, she was admitted to two different hospitals and suffered through numerous tests, scans and examinations, while she continued to lose weight. While none of these tests indicated that her body was facing any virus or infection, they continually diagnosed her symptoms as a stomach virus. In September of 2015, a head CT scan of her brain was performed, identifying a 2cm tumor, but for reasons unknown, Monica’s medical team misdiagnose her scan and reported normal.
After spending 6 days in the hospital Monica was discharged. Next month, Monica continued to suffer and loose weight, due to the tumor growing on her brain. At this point Monica symptoms got worse, she was as well complaining of blurry and double vision and loss of hearing. And once again my wife took Monica to the pediatrician, who said the symptoms were solely due to a lack of food and sleep, and that we need to just continue to feed her and come back for a check-up in a month. Thankfully my wife questioned the doctor about her blurry and double vision, which the doctor told us to just take her to the optometrist. It was at this point that our optometrist noticed that there was a lot of pressure build up between her brain and her eyes and she insisted we take her to SickKids hospital in Toronto and nowhere else, we cannot thank her enough. Having done another CT scan at SickKids, the results showed the presence of a tumor. When Monica’s medical team at SickKids analyzed the original CT scan, they determined that it had now doubled in size.
Receiving this diagnosis was a double edged sword—on one side of this, our suspicions proved true, and we finally received the information we were seeking, however this diagnosis was heartbreaking, knowing the battle Monica had ahead of her. As a parent, it has been so difficult watching her health continue to deteriorate, and listening to professionals pass off her serious condition as a virus.
Fast-forward to today; Monica is currently recovering from major brain surgery, and 31 straight days of pure radiation and chemotherapy. She has been so strong, and continues to fight every day, but still facing several more months of draining treatment. I can’t express how lost I feel as a parent knowing I can’t protect her any more than holding her hand as my six year old faces this battle alone. She continues to amaze me every day, as she continues to fight and proves how courageous and strong she really is.
As I’m sure you can imagine, after 6 months of this nightmare, and several more to come, I am financially and emotionally drained. As a father and a husband, I feel defeated and disappointed in myself, struggling to come to terms knowing I have been unable to provide for my family. I do have hope that the future holds better days, even when facing the reality of Monica’s difficult year ahead.
I want to share this story for a few different reasons, one of which being the important message behind it. There is a saying that, “a parent often knows best”, and I hope that Monica’s story reinforces this notion among all parents. Be persistent. If you don’t agree with the diagnosis, get a second, third, fourth opinion. You are your child’s first line of defense and as a parent, do not stand back and accept something you know to be untrue. I hope you can find it in your hearts to help my family during this very difficult time. I still struggle to understand why my little angel is one of only 20 children a year in Canada that this disease affects, but with your help, she will no longer just be a cancer statistic, but a survivor. I hope there is a lesson to be learned here for all, thank you so much for your support.
-Tom Sitnik, Vaughan, Ontario.
After spending 6 days in the hospital Monica was discharged. Next month, Monica continued to suffer and loose weight, due to the tumor growing on her brain. At this point Monica symptoms got worse, she was as well complaining of blurry and double vision and loss of hearing. And once again my wife took Monica to the pediatrician, who said the symptoms were solely due to a lack of food and sleep, and that we need to just continue to feed her and come back for a check-up in a month. Thankfully my wife questioned the doctor about her blurry and double vision, which the doctor told us to just take her to the optometrist. It was at this point that our optometrist noticed that there was a lot of pressure build up between her brain and her eyes and she insisted we take her to SickKids hospital in Toronto and nowhere else, we cannot thank her enough. Having done another CT scan at SickKids, the results showed the presence of a tumor. When Monica’s medical team at SickKids analyzed the original CT scan, they determined that it had now doubled in size.
Receiving this diagnosis was a double edged sword—on one side of this, our suspicions proved true, and we finally received the information we were seeking, however this diagnosis was heartbreaking, knowing the battle Monica had ahead of her. As a parent, it has been so difficult watching her health continue to deteriorate, and listening to professionals pass off her serious condition as a virus.
Fast-forward to today; Monica is currently recovering from major brain surgery, and 31 straight days of pure radiation and chemotherapy. She has been so strong, and continues to fight every day, but still facing several more months of draining treatment. I can’t express how lost I feel as a parent knowing I can’t protect her any more than holding her hand as my six year old faces this battle alone. She continues to amaze me every day, as she continues to fight and proves how courageous and strong she really is.
As I’m sure you can imagine, after 6 months of this nightmare, and several more to come, I am financially and emotionally drained. As a father and a husband, I feel defeated and disappointed in myself, struggling to come to terms knowing I have been unable to provide for my family. I do have hope that the future holds better days, even when facing the reality of Monica’s difficult year ahead.
I want to share this story for a few different reasons, one of which being the important message behind it. There is a saying that, “a parent often knows best”, and I hope that Monica’s story reinforces this notion among all parents. Be persistent. If you don’t agree with the diagnosis, get a second, third, fourth opinion. You are your child’s first line of defense and as a parent, do not stand back and accept something you know to be untrue. I hope you can find it in your hearts to help my family during this very difficult time. I still struggle to understand why my little angel is one of only 20 children a year in Canada that this disease affects, but with your help, she will no longer just be a cancer statistic, but a survivor. I hope there is a lesson to be learned here for all, thank you so much for your support.
-Tom Sitnik, Vaughan, Ontario.