Kasen's Soldiers
Donation protected
This campain has been created by Chad & Brittany Rowland in order to raise money to help support our 2 year old sons fight against brain cancer.
Here is Kasen's story...
Our baby boy was diagnosed with a Pilocytic Astrocytoma brain tumor on 02/14/16. Up until this date, he was your typical wild, full of life 2 year old boy...ran everywhere, loved the dirt & rarely ever got sick. Two days before being diagnosed, he began vomiting in the mornings and rapidly lost all balance & coordination. We took him to the ER on 2/14/16, where a CT Scan of his brain was performed. As we sat waiting for the results, Kasen was sitting up on the hospital bed laughing and playing with his cars. Nothing in the world could've prepared us to hear the words, "your son has a brain tumor". In that moment, our lives were forever changed..
Kasen was admitted and in the PICU within minutes and a Neurosurgeon was on his way to evaluate him. The following day he underwent his first of many surgeries to come. An EVD was placed in his brain to relieve eleveted intercranial pressure that was being caused by the tumor blocking his normal flow of fluids.
On 02/16/16, he underwent a 12 hour long brain surgery in an attempt to resect and remove the tumor...on 75% was removed. The remaining tumor is located in his brain stem and against vital parts of the brain. As a result of the surgery, he also suffers from Posterior Fossa Syndrome....He is unable to walk and has left sided facial paralysis.
Kasen was finally discharged from the hospital on 02/29/16. We were sent home to prepare for him to begin chemotherapy. He underwent another surgery on 03/11/16 to have his port placed for treatment, which he began on 03/16/16, which seemed to be going okay.
On 04/03/16, Kasen was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus, which meant that the fluid around his brain was accumalating, once again. He had another surgery that day to have a programmable shunt placed to redirect the fluid to his abdomen rather than his brain.
On 05/03/16, Kasen had his 3 month MRI. On this day, our hearts were shattered, yet once again. The MRI showed that his tumor had grown...the chemotherapy was not working. It is rare for this specific type of tumor to grow the way it did. Kasen was then given a 50% chance of survival.
We meet with the specialists on 05/10/16 to discuss what our next course of action will be, whether is be clinical trials or recieving treatment elsewhere.
I (Brittany), have not been able to return to work since this horrible thing we call cancer invaded our lives, and it has been decided that I will not be able to return until Kasen has completed whatever kind of treatment he has to endure. As most American families, supporting a family with only 1 income is sometimes not possible...especially on top of all of the medical expenses. We are asking for any kind of support to help us get our baby boy healthy again. Kasen has a long, rough road aheah.
We are forever thankful for everyones love, support & prayers... You have no idea how much it means to our family as we continue this journey of the unknown.
The Rowland Family
#KasensSoldiers
#RolandStrong
#PrayforKasen
Here is Kasen's story...
Our baby boy was diagnosed with a Pilocytic Astrocytoma brain tumor on 02/14/16. Up until this date, he was your typical wild, full of life 2 year old boy...ran everywhere, loved the dirt & rarely ever got sick. Two days before being diagnosed, he began vomiting in the mornings and rapidly lost all balance & coordination. We took him to the ER on 2/14/16, where a CT Scan of his brain was performed. As we sat waiting for the results, Kasen was sitting up on the hospital bed laughing and playing with his cars. Nothing in the world could've prepared us to hear the words, "your son has a brain tumor". In that moment, our lives were forever changed..
Kasen was admitted and in the PICU within minutes and a Neurosurgeon was on his way to evaluate him. The following day he underwent his first of many surgeries to come. An EVD was placed in his brain to relieve eleveted intercranial pressure that was being caused by the tumor blocking his normal flow of fluids.
On 02/16/16, he underwent a 12 hour long brain surgery in an attempt to resect and remove the tumor...on 75% was removed. The remaining tumor is located in his brain stem and against vital parts of the brain. As a result of the surgery, he also suffers from Posterior Fossa Syndrome....He is unable to walk and has left sided facial paralysis.
Kasen was finally discharged from the hospital on 02/29/16. We were sent home to prepare for him to begin chemotherapy. He underwent another surgery on 03/11/16 to have his port placed for treatment, which he began on 03/16/16, which seemed to be going okay.
On 04/03/16, Kasen was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus, which meant that the fluid around his brain was accumalating, once again. He had another surgery that day to have a programmable shunt placed to redirect the fluid to his abdomen rather than his brain.
On 05/03/16, Kasen had his 3 month MRI. On this day, our hearts were shattered, yet once again. The MRI showed that his tumor had grown...the chemotherapy was not working. It is rare for this specific type of tumor to grow the way it did. Kasen was then given a 50% chance of survival.
We meet with the specialists on 05/10/16 to discuss what our next course of action will be, whether is be clinical trials or recieving treatment elsewhere.
I (Brittany), have not been able to return to work since this horrible thing we call cancer invaded our lives, and it has been decided that I will not be able to return until Kasen has completed whatever kind of treatment he has to endure. As most American families, supporting a family with only 1 income is sometimes not possible...especially on top of all of the medical expenses. We are asking for any kind of support to help us get our baby boy healthy again. Kasen has a long, rough road aheah.
We are forever thankful for everyones love, support & prayers... You have no idea how much it means to our family as we continue this journey of the unknown.
The Rowland Family
#KasensSoldiers
#RolandStrong
#PrayforKasen
Organizer
Brittany Rowland
Organizer
Jacksonville, FL