Support Pete in his Fight Against Brain Cancer
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In August, our best friend, Pete Psaradellis, was diagnosed with an extremely rare brain tumor, a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Pete is 26-years-old and will be finishing his undergraduate in Industrial Engineering at Bradley University, in the spring. He began treatment this month at Lutheran General Hospital and is undergoing both chemotherapy and radiation.
There are only approximately 300 cases of DIPG per year in the United States, typically affecting children. Growing in the brainstem, the area of the brain that controls functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, these tumors are largely inoperable. The average life expectancy of those affected by DIPG is around 10 months.
Because Pete is a full-time student and no longer on his parent’s insurance, his healthcare options are not only limited by the specific treatments he requires, but also by finances. Your donation will raise funds to directly cover Pete’s medical expenses. They will also go toward covering family expenses associated with treatment. His mom, Kiki, is a single mother, who currently houses and cares for Pete, along with their grandmother.
While there is no known cure for this tumor, there is still hope in the diagnosis. Pete’s tumor has a specific mutation: H3K27M. This mutation, while it leads to an extremely aggressive type of tumor, appears to have a weakness. A new experimental medication, ONC201 has shown great progress with this specific mutation, holding steady or even reducing the size of some H3K27M tumors. Pete is extraordinarily strong-willed, and we are optimistic that he will battle with all of his might to beat this.
Pete’s symptoms began in mid-June, when he experienced numbness on the roof of his mouth. He thought nothing of it, but it continued to spread throughout the left side of his face. About a week or so later, Pete began to experience up to four migraines a week. Around the Fourth of July, he was unable to eat, and was sleeping about 20 hours a day.
He contacted his primary care physician and was scheduled for an MRI the next day. The MRI revealed a brain tumor. Pete made an appointment with a neurosurgeon for 08/15/20 to determine next steps.
In the meantime, his symptoms progressed. He was taken to the emergency room at Northwest Community Hospital. After a quick examination, he was sent home with anti-migraine medication.
Late-July was the tipping point for Pete. In addition to his original symptoms, he began vomiting and experienced extreme pain in his head. He felt as if it were going to explode and was unable to put thoughts into words. Pete was taken to Lutheran General and admitted into the Neuro-ICU on July 27. He was seen by Dr. Joshua T. Billingsley, who insisted on a brain biopsy. The result of the biopsy was inconclusive, and further testing was needed. Surgery was scheduled in order to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Dr. Billingsley was able to resect 25 percent of the tumor, and the surgical specimen was sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for tumor marker testing. Pete was released a few days after surgery.
About a week later, and having still not heard back from St. Jude, Pete and his family sought a second opinion from a family friend, also at Lutheran General. He arrived at his appointment in bad shape, vomiting and ultimately passing out. Pete woke up in the emergency room. His intracranial pressure (ICP) measured 50 mmHg (normal = 5 – 15 mmHg), indicating severe, life-threatening intracranial hypertension known as hydrocephalus. A lumbar puncture was performed to relieve the pressure in his head. Doctors at Lutheran General ultimately determined to place a Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt to more permanently relieve the pressure. As Pete recovered from this, St. Jude came back with the final devastating diagnosis of a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.
Raised by his parents, John and Kiki, Pete is the eldest of three boys, and a role model to his brothers, Stephen and Alex. He’s a die-hard Cubs fan, and enjoys playing basketball, poker, and World of Warcraft with his family and friends. He’s one of the smartest people we know and is always willing to debate anything with anyone at any time. His presence alone brightens the room, and he’s always been there for us during the toughest of times.
We plan to keep everyone updated here on Pete’s overall health and status as he progresses through treatment and clinical trials.
There are only approximately 300 cases of DIPG per year in the United States, typically affecting children. Growing in the brainstem, the area of the brain that controls functions like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, these tumors are largely inoperable. The average life expectancy of those affected by DIPG is around 10 months.
Because Pete is a full-time student and no longer on his parent’s insurance, his healthcare options are not only limited by the specific treatments he requires, but also by finances. Your donation will raise funds to directly cover Pete’s medical expenses. They will also go toward covering family expenses associated with treatment. His mom, Kiki, is a single mother, who currently houses and cares for Pete, along with their grandmother.
While there is no known cure for this tumor, there is still hope in the diagnosis. Pete’s tumor has a specific mutation: H3K27M. This mutation, while it leads to an extremely aggressive type of tumor, appears to have a weakness. A new experimental medication, ONC201 has shown great progress with this specific mutation, holding steady or even reducing the size of some H3K27M tumors. Pete is extraordinarily strong-willed, and we are optimistic that he will battle with all of his might to beat this.
Pete’s symptoms began in mid-June, when he experienced numbness on the roof of his mouth. He thought nothing of it, but it continued to spread throughout the left side of his face. About a week or so later, Pete began to experience up to four migraines a week. Around the Fourth of July, he was unable to eat, and was sleeping about 20 hours a day.
He contacted his primary care physician and was scheduled for an MRI the next day. The MRI revealed a brain tumor. Pete made an appointment with a neurosurgeon for 08/15/20 to determine next steps.
In the meantime, his symptoms progressed. He was taken to the emergency room at Northwest Community Hospital. After a quick examination, he was sent home with anti-migraine medication.
Late-July was the tipping point for Pete. In addition to his original symptoms, he began vomiting and experienced extreme pain in his head. He felt as if it were going to explode and was unable to put thoughts into words. Pete was taken to Lutheran General and admitted into the Neuro-ICU on July 27. He was seen by Dr. Joshua T. Billingsley, who insisted on a brain biopsy. The result of the biopsy was inconclusive, and further testing was needed. Surgery was scheduled in order to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Dr. Billingsley was able to resect 25 percent of the tumor, and the surgical specimen was sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for tumor marker testing. Pete was released a few days after surgery.
About a week later, and having still not heard back from St. Jude, Pete and his family sought a second opinion from a family friend, also at Lutheran General. He arrived at his appointment in bad shape, vomiting and ultimately passing out. Pete woke up in the emergency room. His intracranial pressure (ICP) measured 50 mmHg (normal = 5 – 15 mmHg), indicating severe, life-threatening intracranial hypertension known as hydrocephalus. A lumbar puncture was performed to relieve the pressure in his head. Doctors at Lutheran General ultimately determined to place a Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt to more permanently relieve the pressure. As Pete recovered from this, St. Jude came back with the final devastating diagnosis of a Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.
Raised by his parents, John and Kiki, Pete is the eldest of three boys, and a role model to his brothers, Stephen and Alex. He’s a die-hard Cubs fan, and enjoys playing basketball, poker, and World of Warcraft with his family and friends. He’s one of the smartest people we know and is always willing to debate anything with anyone at any time. His presence alone brightens the room, and he’s always been there for us during the toughest of times.
We plan to keep everyone updated here on Pete’s overall health and status as he progresses through treatment and clinical trials.
Organizer and beneficiary
Joseph Barca
Organizer
Mount Prospect, IL
Pete Psaradellis
Beneficiary
