Our hero

 

This is Tom at the age of 7  on the day of our wedding where he was our ring bearer.  Tom is the eldest child of Eddy’s cousin.

 

 

This is Tom during the summer of 2015, all grown up. He just graduated as a kindergarden teacher. Before starting his job in September, he went on a one month adventure in Thailand crossing the country as a backpacker., with one of his best friends.

Then November 13, 2015 happened. It was a typical autumn Friday. I went with some of my colleagues to the  theatre. During the  break, news came in from the terrorist attacks in Paris. But this is not why Friday 13, 2015 will be remembered in our family. November 13, 2015 was the day that Tom was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Tom was at that time 23 years old.  The doctors were rather optimistic at first thinking this was a benign tumor.  Tom underwent immediate surgery to remove whatever was possible because the position of the tumor made it almost inoperable. The  biopsy revealed that this was a medulloblastoma, one of the most aggresive and malignant brain tumors and very rare in adults. This is a tumor which is typical for children. It is considered to be incurable  as it is a returning cancer.  On top of that he had metastases in his spinal cord.

Tom is a fighter. He showed that at this birth because he was born after a  barely 6 month pregnancy. He was a miracle baby.

The surgery left him for weeks in a semi coma only to come out very slowly.  He went home for Christmas coming to terms with the hard reality. After New Year 2016 he started with his treatment. First weeks of daily radio therapy followed by more than one year of weekly chemotherapy for which he needed to be hospitalised during two days each time.  He finished his treatment two weeks ago. The test earlier this week showed no more tumors. 

Tom is a fighter. He never gave up over the past 1,5 year. The surgery left marks. He is speaking impaired, he shuffles like an  old man needing a walker to get around. But he knows his future is limited. He started now to live life to the fullest. He is living a lifetime in just a couple of years. Tom is optimistic allthough the cancer will likely return within the next five years.

 

This is Tom now. Tom is our hero. 

Please keep him in your prayers.