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Stories from our patients

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THE HEARTBREAKING MOMENTS

“An MRI showed a tumour in his brain. Everything was a whirlwind after that as we had to send him for an emergent surgery to remove the tumour.That was our first time.”

THE INNOCENCE OF A CHILD

“He started going for Hair for Hope to get shaved when he was 5, a year before he was diagnosed with the tumour. He’s still going for it and this year is his third. He promised to go every year.”

THE LOVE AND HOPE

“A year ago, it was a devastating day for the whole family. Now, a year later, after he completed his treatment, he’s starting everything afresh. It’s not the end. Cancer is not the end.”

Ethan suffered from an ependymoma, a very difficult tumour to treat in the paediatric population. When he was 19 months old, he presented with a large posterior fossa 4th ventricular  tumour and needed an initial staged surgery to remove it. Throughout his journey, he required repeated surgeries. He was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy but the tumour kept recurring and spreading to larger areas, eventually involving more critical structures which prevented further safe surgery. Over the next two years, he progressively deteriorated despite fighting a brave battle. His parents had a tremendously difficult time watching him suffer. Ethan’s smile was a ray of sunshine. He spoke with a unique sharp British accent which he picked up watching children’s programmes. 

Ethan's story

Javier is a vibrant kid who first presented with some unsteadiness in walking when he was six. MRI showed a large tumour extending from Meckels cave to the cerebellopontine angle, a very rare tumour in the paediatric population. Surgery was performed via a posterior approach and 80% of the tumour was removed. He was scheduled for the anterior portion of the tumour to be removed, but by that time the tumour had regrown and a further posterior approach was needed for complete resection of the tumour. He experienced post-op issues of wound healing and subsequently needed a lumboperitoneal shunt. He has since been very well and is on follow-up. There is a tiny focus of tumour around his fifth nerve near the brain stem which is being watched closely. Javier loves LEGO and has tons of it at home. He is also crazy about Ah Boys to Men and lion dance.

Joyful Javier

A tale from Dean

Dean was an outstanding student in school and participated in many sports activities. At the age of 12, he had frequent persistent headaches and showed deterioration in school performance. MRI showed a suprasellar lesion, which biopsy revealed to be a germinoma. He underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy over a one-year period. This was the most challenging period for his family. His father is a single parent taking care of him and his elder sister. From the medical perspective, the original tumour site has regressed with a good outcome. However, there is a separate area of tumour focus in an inoperable part of his brain (basal ganglia) that is being monitored closely for remission. Now, at 13 years of age, Dean’s hobbies include photography and assembly of Gundam figurines.

 

Strong Little Bianca

 

Doctors removed a tumour from her brain when she was just four. Since then, little Bianca's road to recovery hasn't been an easy one.

 

Learn more Bianca's story (shared by her mother, Karen Lai) and pediatric brain tumours' knowledge (shared by Dr David Low, neurosurgeon of KK Women's and Children's Hospital) at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/tv/tvshows/firstlook/paediatric-brain-tumour/1442780.html

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