Support Brayden's Journey and Wishes

Hi, I'm Tonya, Erin's best friend. This is my story (the bff perspective) of Brayden's seven + year and ongoing battle against this ruthless cancer. Thank you for taking the time to read.

The fight began November 26, 2017...

Erin sent me what I assumed was one of our normal, funny daily texts. But this time, it was different. Her message read, "Brayden has a brain tumor, and it's likely cancerous."

I remember reading the text and trying to process what she was telling me, but I had never personally known anyone close to me being told they likely had cancer. Especially a child. My best friend's son. What did this mean? I had no idea what Brayden, Erin, and Ben were about to go through.

While I can't recall the timeline specifically, it wasn't long after I received her message, that I had booked a one-way flight from Spokane to Seattle, knowing Brayden was about to go through intensive brain surgery to attempt to remove the tumor. I didn't tell anyone I was coming, I just knew Erin would need me there, whether she knew it or not.

When I arrived in Seattle, I rented a car and drove to Seattle Children's Hospital. I texted Erin when I arrived. "I'm here." It wasn't until I reached the floor where Brayden had been admitted that I started to grasp what was happening and the severity of the situation. Brayden was scheduled to undergo surgery the next morning.

I sat with Erin and her family as they experienced one of the scariest moments of their lives. Their son is having brain surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. As a mom of two girls, this news was unfathomable to me. I struggled to process. We sat for eight-plus hours in that waiting room. I will never forget when the surgeon made his way out into the waiting room with the results of the surgery.

While it did take a few days of new scans and more testing, it was determined that he would need a second surgery as they did not feel confident they had removed the full tumor.

This was simply the beginning of a long, exhausting journey for Brayden, Erin, and Ben.

I, of course, had traveled back home to Spokane as they continued to take it one day at a time on what they knew would be a very long process. I felt so close, yet so far away. It was knowing what they had in front of them. It seemed so daunting, and it was.

If you've followed Brayden's journey over the last seven years, you know just how difficult the journey has been. This young man has endured more pain and heartache than anyone I've ever known. And yet, he meets you with a smile every single time. He is the most positive and the strongest kid I have ever met.

Two brain surgeries and full proton radiation to the brain and spine when he was first diagnosed in 2017, along with months of chemotherapy and additional treatment protocols, physical therapy, speech therapy, and learning to walk and talk again. I watched from afar as this kid [along with Erin and Ben] endured a long and painful journey.

The treatment was successful. Brayden had undergone over a year of intensive therapy to reach his first milestone. He was finally sent home 'cancer-free.'

He had gone five years being cancer-free with clean scans. Oh, the deep breath I take even saying that word. It was a word that had shown up on my calendar every three months for the last five years. Every scan day, I would send Erin a quick prayer text for clean scans. Always, without fail. Always in anticipation of her reply, "scan was clean." It was five years of the same positive result.

Until April 14th, 2023, "Brayden has another tumor."

This time, an inoperable tumor due to its location [in his spine] and the potential for paralysis had they attempted to remove it. Although they knew surgically removing the tumor was likely out of the question, Brayden still had to undergo a two and half hour surgical biopsy process, which included removing a portion of the bone, cutting through the dura matter, and making a tiny incision to take six small biopsy amounts for testing to determine if this new tumor was potentially secondary cancer from the radiation he had received on his spine during his prior treatment or if they would confirm it to be a reoccurrence of Medulloblastoma.

With this news, of course, everything changed. Brayden had been working at a local restaurant, driving himself around in his new truck, working out regularly, and simply enjoying life. Life was good, cancer-free.

Now, he is suddenly back in the hospital with another long road ahead of him.

Once again, I was back in Seattle, even if to sit in silence.

Since this tumor was too risky to remove, being in a difficult spot on his spine, the treatment protocol was another full round of proton radiation and chemo, round two.

Although this last round of treatment did shrink the tumor on his spine, this particular cancer, Medulloblastoma, is a very aggressive and rapidly growing cancer that, statistically, will frequently metastasize to different locations along the surface of the brain and spinal cord.

It had been five years since he had undergone radiation and chemo, so the team was confident his body could withstand another round. Back at it again, the treatment did what they hoped it would. The tumor was targeted and shrunk to such a minuscule size it looked like a tiny little piece of scar tissue on his scans. Of course, new treatments came with complications and side effects, more PT, learning to walk again, the whole nine. This last round of treatment was hard on Brayden, but his post-treatment scans showed 'no evidence of active disease.' A miracle!

Wednesday, August 25th, 2024, 4:19 pm.

"Not good news on the scan, two new spots, one in the brain where the original tumor was, and one lower on the spine in the lumbar area." Another gut-wrenching message from Erin after a routine three-month scan.

We knew Brayden had a routine three-month scan coming up as they headed back to the west side after spending an amazing week at our home in Spokane and a little trip up to our lake place in Idaho. Perfect summer vacay.

This scan result was gut-wrenching—two new tumors.

In my heart, I feared they wouldn't be able to do anything this time. He's had way too much radiation, he's been through way too much. Erin confirmed my fear in her next message. "There is nothing they can do from a curative perspective. It's just keeping the tumors at bay for as long as possible."

Oh, my heart. I'm back in my car, heading across the mountains. To listen. To hold space. To pray for miracles.

Over the years of the back and forth to and from Seattle trips, I selfishly questioned, why am I this friend to Erin? Why me? Why am I the friend who has to watch her endure such pain and heartache? Why did our paths cross thirty-plus years ago? Was it for this moment? This journey? Nothing prepares you to be "the" friend through something like this.

My thoughts continue to race about how to be this friend. I don't know how to do this. My fear of how I can support them through this rings so loud, a helpless and heart-wrenching feeling.

While I may never fully understand why this honorable friend duty was given to me, it truly does feel like the highest honor of friendship to sit with them through this season and any season to come. I may not always know what to say or do, but I am here.

So, in true BFF fashion, I'm here to honor Brayden and help him fulfill his wishlist of stuff to do and see. He has been through so much on this journey and for a long time.

Number one, let's pray for miracles. There is always time for that. Two, let's distract and create joy around the situation. Bray [and mom and dad] have spent way too many years looking at hospital walls and scary machines. Let's show them something epic. Ideas around trip destinations and experiences are welcome!!

While I am requesting a specific $ amount for a goal to raise funds for them to travel and see new places, I'm also requesting help with funds to help Brayden pay off his truck, an important adult task he wants to fulfill and be proud of.

If you're unable to donate money, you can help by offering any additional resources you may know of for travel accommodations or anything that may be of help as they make plans for the next few months to make sure Brayden gets to experience the things that are important to him.

While traveling, Brayden will not be able to participate in many excursions, and any travel arrangements must be flexible and comfortable. Keep this in mind if suggesting arrangements or travel accommodations. Think, private jet? Haha. Kidding. Maybe, lol.

While none of this makes Brayden, Erin, and Ben's circumstances any easier, anything you can do to help them fulfill Brayden's wishes over the next few months would be greatly appreciated!!

xo, The Bestie

Tonya