Wyatt T.
Wyatt was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor on July 21, 2023 when he was just 4 years old! He endured 42 days in the hospital, multiple brain surgeries including a craniotomy on July 26th which lasted 9+ hours, as well as spending weeks connected to an EVD drain that eventually led to surgery for a brain shunt which he will have for life. This was followed by 6 weeks of Proton beam radiation. His official diagnosis is a grade 3 Posterior Fossa Ependymoma (PFA). This is the worst type of Ependymoma as it has the highest chance of re-occurrence, and the concern is heightened as Wyatt’s family learned the surgeons were unable to get the whole tumor out. Most families have a pretty likely chance of their children living a long & healthy life. For Wyatt, statistically that is a scarier reality should his cancer recur as most Ependymomas come back more aggressive and are chemo resistant.
At this time, the only treatment that can be effective with recurrence is another brain surgery to remove all the visible tumor and more radiation all of which sadly, come with side-effects. His shunt also needs to be maintained for a lifetime and can malfunction and require the need for future surgeries. While the future is uncertain, Wyatt’s family has witnessed their brave warrior fight & battle hard to overcome a condition known as Posterior Fossa Syndrome. He had to relearn to walk & talk all over again at 4 years old! He had countless Physical Therapy sessions & succeeded in gaining most skills back. He is currently dealing with optic nerve damage to his eyes, but a plan is in place to deal with that as well as MRI’s of his brain & spine every 3-4 months to watch for reoccurrences. In addition, he follows up with oncology, radiation oncology and ophthalmology on a regular basis. Wyatt may also need treatment or therapy for radiation side effects that often take years to surface. Thankfully, his most recent scan this February was STABLE!!! A cancer diagnosis in your family is heartbreaking & terrifying but when it is your child it is incomprehensible! Wyatt’s parents fear the future & the tough choices they will have to make if his cancer returns. One parent will likely need to stop working as many kids who relapse travel to other states for clinical trials & other neurosurgery consultations as some tumors are in places many will not operate. Currently Mom carries health insurance for the family so if she stops working, they will pay the full premium while not getting a paycheck or risk losing their insurance for the family. All of this is worrisome, however Wyatt’s parents also wish to provide enriching experiences for him as appropriate as they know the reality is, he may not have a lifetime to do them. For now, even though they have had to change the way they think & live, they maintain hope for their child with prayer and the power of God and their amazing community on their side.
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Julie Caddell – 5809 Gold Dust Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45247 – 513.218.3678
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