We are so honored to introduce to our Jessie Rees Foundation community our courageous NEGU fighter Brock! Brock courageously fought a malignant brain tumor called germinoma. This is Brock’s courageous journey:
“My name is Brock and I am 16 year old cancer survivor. The summer of 2012 was not a good time for me. I had severe headaches and blurry vision. Multiple appointments to my pediatrician and eye doctor didn’t give us any answers. Finally, in October a new eye doctor was able to see that I had severe optic nerve swelling and that my eyes weren’t tracking properly. He sent us immediately to our local emergency room where we found out I had a 3cm mass within my brain, which caused a lot of pressure to build up in my head. I was sent by ambulance to a children’s hospital two and a half hours away. The next morning I was in surgery for a VP shunt to relieve all that pressure in my head.
Unfortunately, my tumor was right in the middle of my brain and was surrounded by too many important things I need, so my doctor was unable to remove it. We made plans for a six hour surgery, where they screwed a halo into my head to help the doctor get a biopsy of my tumor. On October 31, 2012, I was told I had a malignant brain tumor called a germinoma.
On November 12, 2012, I started my first round of chemotherapy and it was horrible. It made me sick to my stomach and very tired. That’s when I decided to fight back! I didn’t want to miss out on anything just because I had cancer!
In January 2013, I finished my 12 weeks of chemotherapy! In March 2013, I had to move three and half hours away from home to receive 4 weeks of proton radiation. Over those 4 weeks, I began to feel better and my hair finally grew back!
I never let cancer slow me down. The only time I missed school was when I received treatment, but I always returned the next day. I no longer have to get weekly blood draws, blood transfusions, and most importantly my headaches and blurry vision are gone! I was even able to get my drivers license recently! I’m so thankful for a second chance! Not a lot people get an opportunity to beat cancer, but I did! I’m living my life to the fullest and I’m so excited for what the future holds for me!”
Brock tells us that NEGU to him means “to never give up in any situation your faced with“.
Brock loves outdoor activities, watching sports, detailing vehicles and lawn care. His favorite color is blue. Brock’s personal hero is Ian Williams from the San Fransisco 49ers. Brock just received his drivers license–congratulations Brock!
Brock would like the world to know that “I’m a fighter and I never let cancer get me down”
If you would like to visit our NEGU fighter Brock, you can visit him at:
> Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BelieveInBrock?ref=hl
We NEGU for Brock