Name: Preston
Diagnosis: Choroid Plexus Brain Tumor
Home state: Mississippi
Even though doctors kept telling her everything was fine, Dawn could not shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong with her 12-month-old son, Preston. The doctors claimed she was being overprotective and they provided logical explanations for all her worries. When Dawn insisted Preston be thoroughly tested, an MRI revealed a mass in the young boy's brain. Preston was diagnosed to have a rare choroid plexus brain tumor. "Even though I knew something was wrong," said Dawn, "you never think something like this is going to happen to your own child."
The family was referred to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital(r) and was amazed when they arrived. Dawn said she had heard people use the words "hope" and "St. Jude" in the same sentence numerous times, but could never fully understand the meaning until she experienced it herself.
However, the first two months of chemotherapy were hard on small, 20-pound Preston. He lost his ability to sit up and hold his head up. He also lost his eyesight. "It was like he was a newborn infant again," remembers Dawn. "He was so little and so limp."
Feeling like Preston would not make it through more chemotherapy treatments, the family opted for surgery. "We knew we had to do everything we could to keep him alive," Dawn said. After the procedure, the doctors came out and Dawn noticed "phenomenon" written on their notes. She knew the surgery had been a success.
Today, speech therapists are helping Preston regain his verbal skills and he's making progress learning how to live a normal life again. He is an extremely happy child and loves to play with his big brother, Perry.
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