Alexander's story

When Alexander was an infant, he was being monitored for cranial growth. At 11 months old, a CT scan found a mass directly behind his left optic nerve.

He was sent for an MRI to get more detailed images. The mass was found to be 0.8 cm by 0.5 cm in size and appeared to be benign. His parents were advised to have this small mass monitored by MRI every 6 months.

At age 2, Alexander began failing to thrive and his growth dropped significantly. His parents decided to get multiple opinions, including Lurie Children’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, and from neurosurgeon Dr. John Ruge at the Brain Tumor Center at Advocate Children’s Hospital.

As soon as they met Dr. Ruge, Alexander’s parents felt confident and comfortable with him. They were reassured by his candidness and honesty. As they walked out of the office, his mother said, confidently, “That’s our guy.”

They are still in a watchful waiting period, monitoring the tumor every 6 months by MRI, visits with Dr. Ruge, and his ophthalmologist. Alexander is symptom-free, so they have been able to continue monitoring his lesion.