“Shortly after Hayden’s fifth birthday, he began having headaches and nausea. At first, the doctor thought he had migraines and asked his mother to keep a record of when his head hurt. After only a short period of time, Hayden’s headaches grew more frequent. Then, he began having trouble with the vision in his right eye causing him to see double. It was at this point, his mother knew there was a bigger issue at hand.
Hayden was referred to an ophthalmologist for further testing. When the doctor examined Hayden’s eyes closely, he saw abnormal swelling and immediately ordered a CT scan. The results were upsetting: There was a mass on Hayden’s brain. He underwent surgery to remove the tumor, after which a biopsy revealed more devastating news: Hayden suffered from a type of brain tumor called Medulloblastoma. Hayden’s parents had heard about St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and immediately asked their doctor for a referral.”
Hayden’s story comes from St. Jude’s Research Hospital website. He’s featured as this month’s “Patient of the Month”. Hayden is an adorable 6 year old boy with a beautiful smile. Other than the fact that he has no hair, you would never know that he’s been through more than most of us will endure in a lifetime. What is Medulloblastoma? It’s a highly malignant primary brain tumor which is most common in children. Re-occurrence of Medulloblastoma is almost always fatal, so fast evasive treatment is critical the first time it’s diagnosed.
There are several sound reasons’ to support the St. Jude’s Research Hospital. I’m going to tell you why you should support St. Jude’s Research Hospital, starting with its humble beginnings as a good deed by a wealthy famous man turning a personal promise into one of the most successful charities in the United States and ending with the impact it’s had on medicine today.
A A good deed by a famous, wealthy man doesn’t seem all that remarkable. Hollywood