Dylan Prater is an energetic 11 year old sixth grader at Andrew Lewis Middle School who was diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer, Papillary Tumor of the Pineal Region in June, 2010.
This cancer is so rare, that there is little information about it. Only 42 cases have been diagnosed in the U.S. since 2001, and most of those cases were adult patients.
Dylan has endured 2 brain surgeries, and eight weeks of radiation. The first surgery was in June, 2010, to relieve excessive fluid in his brain and biopsy the tumor, he was hospitalized for 7 days at University of Virginia, which is 2 hours from our home (one way). This was followed by 8 weeks of radiation at Univ. of Virginia, from July to Sept., 2010. We had to rent an apartment for our family of five to stay in during those eight weeks. After the radiation did not work, the doctors at Univ. of Virginia did not know what else to do for Dylan, and they refused to do any more brain surgery to remove the cancerous tumor, saying that is would be TOO DANGEROUS.
After LOTS of research and phone calls to bigger hospitals on the East Coast, we were able to get Dylan scheduled for a second opinion at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke Children's Hospital in Durham, NC. We took our whole family (4 hrs one way) to Dylan's second opinion appt., on 11/11/10, Dylan was seen by a team of doctors including an oncology specialist and a neurosurgeon. Both doctors had agreed that the tumor needed to be removed, and the neurosurgeon told us he felt comfortable doing this type of surgery, even though he had NEVER removed this type of tumor.
After much emotional debate, discussion, and prayer, we decided to have Dylan go through with the very dangerous surgery. The scheduled surgery date was 11/24/10, so our family packed up again, and had to rent another apartment for two weeks to stay in while in Durham, NC. Before the surgery the neurosurgeon told us not to expect 100% removal of the cancerous brain tumor because it rarely happens. Dylan endured his second brain surgery that lasted 7 hours.........when the neurosurgeon came to see us, he told us they were able to remove 100% of the tumor!!!!
Since then, Dylan continues to go to Duke every 3-6 months for follow-ups, testing and any emergent problems. He continues to work with his oncology specialist, neurosurgeon, endocrinologist, and neuro-opthalmologist. Some people say, "I THOUGHT DYLAN WAS CURED OR HEALED FROM CANCER", our response is, he is in remission, and hopefully will stay that way. However, because of the rarity of the cancerous brain tumor, and that he had radiation, Dylan WILL ALWAYS have to be seen at Duke.
Why, because of ALL the possible (short and/or long-term) effects that can occur from the radiation, as well as, the scarce research the doctors have to go on for the tumor shows that in majority of the cases, the cancerous tumor has been known to be recurrent. Therefore, we are being very cautious to give Dylan the best care, so he can have the finest future available.
Please join our family in helping Dylan with his continued fight, and ongoing treatments.
A bank account has been set up at the Salem VA Federal Credit Union in the name of Kerry Prater and/or Dylan Prater:
Make Payable to: 4DYLANZBRAINTUMORAWARENESS FUND
(formerly known as The Dylan Prater Benevolence Fund)
OR to Dylan Prater/Kerry Prater
Salem VA Credit Union
1970 Roanoke Blvd Bldg 77, Suite 12
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 344-4419 or 1-800-308-6384
DONATIONS can be made at above address or by clicking this link.
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After LOTS of research and phone calls to bigger hospitals on the East Coast, we were able to get Dylan scheduled for a second opinion at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, Duke Children's Hospital in Durham, NC. We took our whole family (4 hrs one way) to Dylan's second opinion appt., on 11/11/10, Dylan was seen by a team of doctors including an oncology specialist and a neurosurgeon. Both doctors had agreed that the tumor needed to be removed, and the neurosurgeon told us he felt comfortable doing this type of surgery, even though he had NEVER removed this type of tumor.
After much emotional debate, discussion, and prayer, we decided to have Dylan go through with the very dangerous surgery. The scheduled surgery date was 11/24/10, so our family packed up again, and had to rent another apartment for two weeks to stay in while in Durham, NC. Before the surgery the neurosurgeon told us not to expect 100% removal of the cancerous brain tumor because it rarely happens. Dylan endured his second brain surgery that lasted 7 hours.........when the neurosurgeon came to see us, he told us they were able to remove 100% of the tumor!!!!
Since then, Dylan continues to go to Duke every 3-6 months for follow-ups, testing and any emergent problems. He continues to work with his oncology specialist, neurosurgeon, endocrinologist, and neuro-opthalmologist. Some people say, "I THOUGHT DYLAN WAS CURED OR HEALED FROM CANCER", our response is, he is in remission, and hopefully will stay that way. However, because of the rarity of the cancerous brain tumor, and that he had radiation, Dylan WILL ALWAYS have to be seen at Duke.
Why, because of ALL the possible (short and/or long-term) effects that can occur from the radiation, as well as, the scarce research the doctors have to go on for the tumor shows that in majority of the cases, the cancerous tumor has been known to be recurrent. Therefore, we are being very cautious to give Dylan the best care, so he can have the finest future available.
Please join our family in helping Dylan with his continued fight, and ongoing treatments.
A bank account has been set up at the Salem VA Federal Credit Union in the name of Kerry Prater and/or Dylan Prater:
Make Payable to: 4DYLANZBRAINTUMORAWARENESS FUND
(formerly known as The Dylan Prater Benevolence Fund)
OR to Dylan Prater/Kerry Prater
Salem VA Credit Union
1970 Roanoke Blvd Bldg 77, Suite 12
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 344-4419 or 1-800-308-6384
DONATIONS can be made at above address or by clicking this link.
Any and all donations will be deeply appreciated.
Thank You for helping Fighting4Dylan!
Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!
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