Help Children With Cancer Please

Patient of the Month

Sean Witsoe

4 years old

Diagnosis: Sean was discovered to have medulloblastoma in the August 2008.

Sean's Story: When Craig and Katie became St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Partners In Hope® years ago, they never expected that one day they would need the hospital's services. But in the summer of 2008, their little son Sean was found to suffer from a brain tumor, and they knew St. Jude was the best place for his treatment.

The morning Katie started to piece together what was wrong with Sean should have been a happy day: It was supposed to be the first day of preschool for Sean and his twin brother Matthew. But Sean woke up and vomited, something he had been doing on and off for weeks. The family had already ruled out a dairy allergy or acid reflux as the cause of his vomiting. Sean had been to a pediatric gastroenterologist, but the doctor couldn't find anything wrong.

With dread, Katie started to add up all of the things that had lately affected Sean—the vomiting in the mornings, walking off balance, an eye that seemed lazy and problems swallowing. By the time Katie reached her computer to look up symptoms for a brain tumor, the dread was setting in.

That afternoon, Sean had a CT scan, and Katie and Craig's worst fears were confirmed: Sean had a brain tumor known as medulloblastoma. He underwent surgery at a local children's hospital to remove as much of the tumor as possible. As the little boy recovered, his parents started researching places for Sean's continuing treatment. As monthly donors to St. Jude through the Partners In Hope program, Katie and Craig were familiar with the hospital. They soon realized that St. Jude was where Sean needed to be and obtained a referral.

At St. Jude: At St. Jude, Sean began treatment immediately. He underwent chemotherapy and received 30 rounds of radiation. He also underwent a second brain surgery at St. Jude to remove more of the tumor.

Katie and Craig take comfort in the fact that Sean is getting the best care possible at St. Jude. "Sean still has a long way to go with treatment, but we are so very grateful for each day, each step in his amazing young life," said Katie.

Sean is funny and likes to dance, and he loves spending time with Matthew and their three older siblings.

October 2009

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