On October 17th, Barrit wasn’t feeling well, and a visit to urgent care led to an unexpected discovery: a large tumor in the center of his chest.

After further testing, we met with oncology, and doctors scheduled surgery on November 20th, a sternotomy, to remove the tumor and perform a biopsy. This procedure involves carefully removing part of the breastbone to access and safely remove the tumor. Barrit will spend the first day in the pediatric cardiac ICU for close monitoring.

We expect to be at Children’s Hospital for about a week, followed by roughly a month-long recovery period at home, during which I will be with him full-time.

Fortunately, Barrit has amazing support from family, friends, and colleagues who have been reaching out daily. His doctors are cautiously optimistic: while tumors in this area are often teratomas—which can contain unusual tissues like teeth or bone—this tumor does not appear typical. Another possibility could be lymphoma, but tests show this is unlikely.

Barrit’s heart appears structurally normal, though there is a small chance the right side of his heart might not be functioning fully, which may explain some dizziness he’s experienced.

This is a challenging time for our family, and while Barrit is being brave, your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement mean the world to us as he faces surgery and recovery.

Even a small gesture — sending a kind message, keeping him in your thoughts, or sharing our story — makes a big difference. Thank you for standing with Barrit and our family during this journey.

Updates will be shared here so you can follow his journey.