A rider on a pale horse
Jan. 17th, 2007 04:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
animereiMy cousin Brenden died today. He finally lost his 10 year battle with cancer.
When he was 5, he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. The tumor was removed and with extensive radiation therapy, he was "fine" (deaf and missing part of his brain). For 10 years nothing happened. Then about 3 months ago, his dentist noticed a lump on his jaw. The cancer had regrouped as bone cancer there and had spread to his lymphnodes. From there it was just a matter of time before it hit vital organs.
To remove this cancer, they would have had to remove his entire lower jaw. Then start in on more radiation therapy. Even with the therapy, the survival rate was less than 30%. Mott Children's Hospital refused to do more radiation, as the treatment would kill him faster than the cancer would. He'd had so much as a child that they could not safely give him more.
While I don't envy him his life (cancer, insane mother, divorced parents, spoiled little sister), I can say without a doubt that he enjoyed it. He had lots of friends at his special school for the deaf. He had two sets of devoted grandparents. A plethora of aunts, uncles, cousins and other assorted family to support him. The community loved him and actually raised money for his first battle with cancer, as well as his school tuition. He was a nice kid, even if I only met him a few dozen times. When your family is as extended as mine is, it is hard to see everybody with any frequency.
When he was 5, he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. The tumor was removed and with extensive radiation therapy, he was "fine" (deaf and missing part of his brain). For 10 years nothing happened. Then about 3 months ago, his dentist noticed a lump on his jaw. The cancer had regrouped as bone cancer there and had spread to his lymphnodes. From there it was just a matter of time before it hit vital organs.
To remove this cancer, they would have had to remove his entire lower jaw. Then start in on more radiation therapy. Even with the therapy, the survival rate was less than 30%. Mott Children's Hospital refused to do more radiation, as the treatment would kill him faster than the cancer would. He'd had so much as a child that they could not safely give him more.
While I don't envy him his life (cancer, insane mother, divorced parents, spoiled little sister), I can say without a doubt that he enjoyed it. He had lots of friends at his special school for the deaf. He had two sets of devoted grandparents. A plethora of aunts, uncles, cousins and other assorted family to support him. The community loved him and actually raised money for his first battle with cancer, as well as his school tuition. He was a nice kid, even if I only met him a few dozen times. When your family is as extended as mine is, it is hard to see everybody with any frequency.
If people would like to, please donate something to either the Cancer Society of America, or Mott Children's Hospital.
