Pediatric Brain Tumors

                                    

Facts about pediatric brain tumors  (THESE ARE REAL & VERY TRUE!)

•Each year 4,200 more children—11.5 each day—are diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor in the U.S.
•72 percent of children diagnosed with a brain tumor are younger than 15.2

•Brain tumors are the deadliest form of childhood cancer. Some tumors, such as atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors and some brain stem gliomas, have survival rates of less than 20 percent.

•Non-malignant/benign brain tumors can kill children if their location in the brain prevents surgical removal or other curative treatments.

•There are 130 different types of brain tumors, making diagnosis and treatment very difficult.

•More than 612,000 people in the U. S. were living with a diagnosis of a primary brain or central nervous system tumor in the United States in 2004.  Of this number, approximately 28,000 were children with a primary brain tumors.

•Pediatric brain tumors aren’t like those in adults. Children’s brain tumors require specific research and different treatments.

•Even though survival rates for some childhood brain tumors have increased over the past 30 years, survivors often suffer from lifelong side effects of treatments such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

•Brain tumors are located in children’s control center of thought, emotion and movement, often resulting in long-term side effects. Survivors can have physical, learning and emotional challenges that will limit the quality of their lives into adulthood.

•Research that focuses specifically on pediatric brain tumors is crucial to saving children’s lives and improving survivors’ quality of life.

It's Been A While.............

Just want to let everybody know how Dylan is doing.  It's been about 4 months since I posted an update, lots to tell.  Dylan has grown so much, he is 5" 4' and weighs 115lbs, I can't keep him in clothes he is growing so fast! At least his pituitary gland has not been affected from the radiation, since he is growing so much......praise God!  He is still taking his medication for the cortisol insufficiency, and I ordered him a medic alert bracelet that he wears all the time.

He participated in a basketball and soccer camp this summer, he plays basketball in our driveway almost everyday and he is playing soccer right now with the 12-14 yr-old kids.  I get a little nervous about this because the older boys seem to be more aggressive than the younger ones.  We decided to let him play, but we told the coach no goalie position, no heading the ball and if he starts feeling bad (i.e. headache, dizziness, etc) that he needs to come out and take a break.  We also have a shot that we carry with us at all times for Dylan only for severe emergent cases, and of course I told Dylan try NOT to fall on his head.  We know that God will watch over and protect him, he has been all along.
Dylan is getting ready to start 7th grade in a couple of weeks, I can't believe it!  It just seems like yesterday that he was so little, and it does not feel like it has been 1 year and 9 months since Dylan's last brain surgery!  God has blessed us tremendously with him!

We return to Duke in a few weeks for 3 days worth of follow-up appts. for Dylan, PLEASE pray for a good health report again for Dylan.  We want to thank ALL of you who continue to think and pray for our family, it means a great deal to us!

Enjoy these latest pictures of Dylan..............................