Patient Stories

Brain Tumors

Precision Teamwork for Metastasized Brain Tumor Provides a New Lease on Life
At age five, Arusha Pratt was diagnosed with a malignant pineoblastoma--a type of brain tumor. Teamwork and an aggressive treatment plan saved her life. Ten years later, she's thriving.

A Marathon Brain Surgery
John Mordach Jr. was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor that was successfully removed with surgery. The teen's dedication to regaining his strength and balance after surgery inspired his father, John Mordach Sr., to accomplish his goal of completing the Chicago marathon. Mordach's family also made a long-haul commitment to combat brain tumors by establishing a fund to support University of Chicago neurosurgical research.

Diagnosing Teen's Brain Tumor with Precise Technology
Sixteen-year-old Matthew Ukachukwu was diagnosed with a rare, but highly treatable brain tumor. With advanced diagnostic technology and an innovative approach, our doctors are delivering specialized treatment--while sparing Matthew the undesirable consequences that treatment elsewhere may have cost him.

Familial Cancer Clinic

Familial Cancer Clinic Helps Families Make the Most Important Decision
Marc Myers survived a bout with acute lymphoblastic leukemia as a child. But years later, Marc's growth slowed, and he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. However, the decision to treat his deficiency was complicated by a family history of colon cancer. If Marc inherited the cancer mutation, he could not have growth hormone treatment. Dr. Kenan Onel recommended a full assessment at the Familial Cancer Clinic to determine the best options for Marc.

Hepatoblastoma

Novel Technique Used to Remove Tumor in Infant's Liver
Just months after her birth, infant Chloe Lobins had surgery to remove part of her liver due to hepatoblastoma, a type of liver cancer. Little Chloe is believed to be the smallest infant ever to undergo a massive liver resection for a primary liver cancer.

Leukemia

Stem Cell Transplant Gives Leukemia Patient a Second Chance at Life
Zayla Mitsdarffer’s mother refers to the day of her daughter’s blood stem cell transplant as her “re-birthday.” On July 20, 2007, following two years of intensive, but conventional treatment for an aggressive type of leukemia, six-year-old Zayla underwent a transplant with donated stem cells from one of her sisters.

Neuroblastoma

Lung Cancer Drug Helps Young Woman with Neuroblastoma
At age 17, Anna O'Connor was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Several years of treatment at different hospitals failed to control her disease. Now a young woman, Anna is the first person with neuroblastoma to participate in a clinical trial of a drug targeted at a specific mutation linked to some cases of the disease. "This has been the first drug that's helped my cancer get better," O'Connor said.

Clinical Trial Helps Girl with Neuroblastoma
A clinical trial enhanced neuroblastoma care for 3-year-old Madison. More than a year after Madison's diagnosis and initial treatment, she is back in school. "We really feel that clinical trials represent state-of-the art therapy for children with cancer," says neuroblastoma expert Susan Cohn, MD, who helped design the clinical trial.

Optic Glioma

Team Approach, Early Intervention Save Girl's Sight
In 2002, Jenna Jongsma was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that can affect vision, growth and development. In Jenna's case, the condition also led to the development of an optic glioma, a tumor that threatened her sight. Comer Children’s Hospital specialists in oncology and neurology worked together with Jenna’s community physicians to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.

Sarcoma

Courageous Young Man Wins Long Battle Over Two Sarcomas
At five years old, Kyle Harvey was treated for rhabdomyosarcoma. Ten years later, he fought osteosarcoma. Kyle's positive attitude kept him going throughout his long battle with cancer. Today, he's attending college in Alabama. "Kyle is a remarkable person," says orthopaedic surgeon, Rex Haydon, MD, PhD, a member of Kyle's treatment team.

Stem Cell Transplant

Innovations in Stem Cell Transplant Allow Parent to Become Donor
Cameron Dykstra was born without an immune system and was diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCID), a condition commonly known as "bubble boy disease." His father’s donated blood stem cells -- purified using a novel technique -- were transplanted to Cameron where they took over the task of defending the infant’s body against harmful bacteria and viruses.