April Fools?

On April 1, 2013, a 9-year-old boy named Matt was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It was a twist of fate neatly wrapped up into an April Fools joke gone bad that only something as powerful as the universe could deliver. Matt is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed little boy with a voracious appetite for adventure. Physical limits were not something he adhered to; you never knew what kind of crazy athletic feat he would be tackling next. He was wakeboarding by the age of 4 and skiing black diamonds by the age of 5. His relentless optimism and love for life were contagious. It didn't matter if you had spent 5 minutes with him or 5 years with him - he was going to make a huge impact on your life.

Because of his infectious personality, this diagnosis came like a blow to every single person who had ever encountered Matt.  The news sat like a giant rock in the middle of my gut as I struggled to comprehend how this could happen. It's never easy to see a child get sick; it's never easy to see anyone get sick. You ask yourself why this had to happen and why it had to happen to them. You become upset with the world for letting this happen to such an innocent, happy young soul. You cry, you curse, and you come face-to-face with the brevity of your own life.

Matt quickly gained an immense amount of support and love from his family and friends. A Caring Bridge website was set up for him, which you can access here. The first step in his journey was to have surgery to determine the exact type of tumor. After this surgery, he was informed that he had medulloblastoma. In this blog, I will be explaining this diagnosis, the treatment options, the prognosis, and the inner workings of this type of brain tumor. Using Matt's brave story, I hope to shed light on medulloblastoma. Matt paved his way down The Road to Awesome, battling medulloblastoma and inspiring others to join him on this Road.

Medulloblastoma is a tumor that arises in the cerebellum of the brain. The cerebellum is located at the lower back portion of the brain. It is a relatively rare type of tumor and accounts 18% of all pediatric brain tumors. They are usually found early in childhood, with 70% of all cases being diagnosed before the age of 10. It very rarely occurs in adulthood. Some of the most common symptoms noticed are changes in behavior, appetite, and unusual eye movements. Because the tumor takes up space in the brain, pressure inside the brain can increase which can cause symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and coordination problems.

Receiving a diagnosis of medulloblastoma is an extremely terrifying experience for both the patient and their loved ones. However, it is important to remember that treatment options exist for this and that they are relatively successful. The American Brain Tumor Association states that 60-65% of pediatric patients achieve long-term disease control. The most important thing you can do is stay positive and ask your healthcare provider about any and all questions you may have. The Road to Awesome is a road filled with many ups and downs, but with a positive attitude and support from loved ones a happy outcome can be achieved.

References:

http://www.abta.org/brain-tumor-information/types-of-tumors/medulloblastoma.html