 Cameron is a happy little 5-year-old boy. At such a young age, he is already a car enthusiast. He has attended the Daytona 24 Hours Rolex race three times, and is very excited about seeing "his" racecar for a foruth time in January 2012! His pictures are on the internet from last year's race (www.racing4research.org). Cameron was diagnosed with NF (Neurofibromatosis) Type 1 when he was 2 years old. NF is a progressive disorder. Doctors are unable to determine how much NF will affect a child as their life progresses. NF means that tumors grow through your nervous system anywhere on or in the body. NF can mean learning disabilities, bone defects, scoliosis, neurological impairment, neurofibromas, optic gliomas, and on and on... None of us know how NF will manifest itself as Cameron grows up. Cameron's health is for the day. As parents, we worry about our son's future. NF is hereditary, though about 50% of new cases are from spontaneous gene mutation - which is how Cameron has NF. Cameron has a 3 inch Plexiform tumor in his throat and ear, which causes pressure on his breathing tube and causes him to snore and have sleep apnea. His speech problems may also be compounded by the tumor affecting his pallete. Plexiforms are tumors that grow on the nerves and are difficult to treat and unpredictable in how they will "act". They have found that he has another tumor in his brain behind the optic nerves called a chiasmatic glioma. This tumor has probably been there since birth, and at this point, is the lesser of the two evils. And in early 2010, the doctors found a 3rd tumor in his spine. Cameron started on a chemo drug in October 2009, as part of a clinical trial. Cameron completed 15 months in Dec. 2010, but was taken off the drug because the tumor was still growing. We fundraise because it's the only thing we can do. We cannot sit idly by and wait and watch for changes, we have to fight hard and NOW! NF has no cure, no medications to help hold off more tumors; Cameron lives day-to-day not knowing what might come next, from MRI to MRI hoping for the best results. Your contribution to the Children's Tumor Foundation may someday help to find a cure for this unpredictable and devastating disease. We believe that the Children's Tumor Foundation will find a cure, that the research they are doing now will help our son and so many others that suffer daily with NF. Thank You.
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