Elliot vs a Brain Tumor
Donation protected
Elliot is my 8 year old great nephew. He has a recurring brain tumor. His grandmother was my very close sister who died of cancer before he was born. A little over a year ago he started having seizures........ many times a day.
It took a few months but he was finally diagnosed with a benign brain tumor and had surgery to remove it. Now we are three surgeries later and this aggresive tumor keeps growing back.
This picture is Elliot after his first surgery:
This is Elliot on the way home after his last surgery:
He is an incredibly brave little boy. He has been so resiliant after the surgeries and after he finally stopped having seizures. He has to deal with some depression and mood swings as an after effect of the surgery but is so incredible. He has returned to school each time and has had to recover ground lost after each surgery but has done it with an incredible grace and has been amazingly upbeat and positive for anyone, much less an 8 year old.
The tumor is still classified as benign but it is acting very aggresive. Elliot's last surgery was in March after which the doctors decided that they needed to gear up the fight against this aggressive tumor. Elliot will be receiving both chemo and Proton Radiation treatments. He was enrolled in a study where tumor tissure was studied by a national team to see which chemo drugs were most effective on it. He is going to receive multiple drugs.
He is also, as I write this, traveling from Michigan to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for another consult and for Proton Radiation therapy. Proton therapy is very precise, allows for potentially higher doses of radiation to target brain cancer, with less damage to surrounding tissues than conventional radiation therapy which causes more damage and can have long term effects. There is not Proton radiation available in Michigan at this time.
This beautiful family has been so very stressed for the last year and have been valiently trying to shoulder the financial burden of the uninsured costs but they have become overwhelmed with the addition of the travel to the Mayo along with the co-pays, the uninsured portion and the travel expenses. These are what the funds will be used for. If you are able, please help and share this post. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
It took a few months but he was finally diagnosed with a benign brain tumor and had surgery to remove it. Now we are three surgeries later and this aggresive tumor keeps growing back.
This picture is Elliot after his first surgery:
This is Elliot on the way home after his last surgery:
He is an incredibly brave little boy. He has been so resiliant after the surgeries and after he finally stopped having seizures. He has to deal with some depression and mood swings as an after effect of the surgery but is so incredible. He has returned to school each time and has had to recover ground lost after each surgery but has done it with an incredible grace and has been amazingly upbeat and positive for anyone, much less an 8 year old.
The tumor is still classified as benign but it is acting very aggresive. Elliot's last surgery was in March after which the doctors decided that they needed to gear up the fight against this aggressive tumor. Elliot will be receiving both chemo and Proton Radiation treatments. He was enrolled in a study where tumor tissure was studied by a national team to see which chemo drugs were most effective on it. He is going to receive multiple drugs.
He is also, as I write this, traveling from Michigan to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for another consult and for Proton Radiation therapy. Proton therapy is very precise, allows for potentially higher doses of radiation to target brain cancer, with less damage to surrounding tissues than conventional radiation therapy which causes more damage and can have long term effects. There is not Proton radiation available in Michigan at this time.
This beautiful family has been so very stressed for the last year and have been valiently trying to shoulder the financial burden of the uninsured costs but they have become overwhelmed with the addition of the travel to the Mayo along with the co-pays, the uninsured portion and the travel expenses. These are what the funds will be used for. If you are able, please help and share this post. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Organizer and beneficiary
Cynthia Harms
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN
Peter Johnson
Beneficiary
