Lifesaving Care for Bryan Close to Home

Bryan is an avid video game player. He also loves reading and doing puzzles. So he was startled when something was off with his vision. He kept seeing double.

His mom, Ruth, took him to the eye doctor. She figured he needed a new prescription for his glasses. But an initial exam ruled that out. The ophthalmologist referred them to Children’s National Hospital and they went straight there for further tests.

“Imaging showed that Bryan had a brain tumor,” recalls Ruth. “I was in shock and so scared.”

Neurosurgeon Dr. Daniel Donoho used Surgical Theater Precision Virtual Reality to remove Bryan’s tumor. This cutting-edge technology allows surgeons to plan and perform procedures with a 360-degree view. It improves accuracy and shortens recovery time.

“From the beginning, the doctors told me there was a solution and everything would be OK,” says Ruth.

Bryan stayed in the hospital for a month after surgery and completed several rounds of chemotherapy, then returned for outpatient daily radiation. “I really appreciated Mr. Joe, the Child Life specialist,” says Bryan, now 14. “He gave me Legos and video games to distract me from the side effects of treatment.”

Nearly six months after Bryan’s diagnosis, MRI scans showed the brain tumor was gone. Now, he just needs to visit for follow-up scans every few months. He wants to be an engineer when he grows up. First, he looks forward to starting high school cancer-free.

“My son can pursue his dreams thanks to Children’s National,” says Ruth. “It was reassuring to have one of the country’s best hospitals close to home.”