Andrew's story

Andrew's journey started on a hot summer day when he was 7 years old. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor, an ependymoma, on the upper right parietal side of his brain. He started to have headaches that continued to get worse along with a strange tingling feeling. His parents took him to the emergency room because the headache wouldn’t go away. A CT scan showed a tumor approximately the size of a lemon. Surgery was scheduled for the following day, but prior to surgery, he had a brain hemorrhage. The surgery left him partially paralyzed on his left side, unconscious and in intensive care for several weeks. The tumor reappeared again and again.

Andrew credits Dr. John Ruge with saving his life. Dr. Ruge removed the entire tumor using technology such as an intraoperative MRI. Afterward, Andrew received radiation therapy for eight weeks. He recovered completely from the paralysis through physical therapy.

The individualized patient-centered care, support and compassion Andrew received from Dr. Ruge, the nurses, caregivers, and Child Life specialists at Advocate Children's Hospital over the years has been exceptional. Picnics and other special events allowed him to meet other patients and families. Pediatric brain tumors are a leading cause of childhood cancer-related deaths – recently surpassing leukemia. The journeys of families of children with brain tumors are difficult ones. Having the support, dedication and services that are available through the Brain Tumor Center at Advocate Children's Hospital makes those journeys a little easier.