A Family Away from Home for Jimmy

When doctors diagnosed Jimmy with medulloblastoma shortly before his 12th birthday, he worked hard to keep his life as normal as possible. He kept up with his homework. He played baseball and video games with his friends. Throughout his eight-year treatment at Children's National, his determination to enjoy life left a mark on his care team.

Jimmy insisted on being involved in his care. He read consent forms, asked detailed questions and made notes for his doctors. His team, led by Eugene Hwang, MD, explained each treatment, clinical trial and procedure. Jimmy's parents appreciated Dr. Hwang's willingness to explain and answer questions. They also valued his candor about the difficult parts of his diagnosis. Jimmy wanted to know everything: the good news and the bad.

Jimmy worked hard to graduate from high school on time and then achieved one of his biggest goals: attending James Madison University. For two years, he managed a complicated medical regimen, coordinated care between multiple hospitals and still carved out a college life that mattered deeply to him.

Jimmy also shaped the experiences of other teen patients at Children's National. He advocated for more teen-centered activities, including movie nights and video game tournaments in his beloved Bunny Mellon Healing Garden.

His care team also went to bat for him. When a stay in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit made it difficult for him to attend the hospital’s Dunkin' Prom, they made sure he could safely participate. Healing Garden Activity Coordinator Angelica Bowman made sure he felt great, working with his dad to pick out the perfect suit.

Over the years, Jimmy's parents witnessed compassionate care at every turn. Nurses made lists of their favorite takeout food for him to try. Certified child life specialists tracked down portable video game systems and LEGO sets. Members of the transport team played movies for him during ambulance rides, "There were so many people that kept reappearing in our lives over eight and a half years. They all became family," says his dad, Jim.

When Jimmy died in November 2023, Dr. Hwang spoke at his celebration of life. "Jimmy was a one-of-a-kind young man. We had many thoughtful conversations over the course of the 8 years I knew him, and I'll always miss his playful and sarcastic sense of humor," says Dr. Hwang. Afterward, his mother Susan returned to speak with hospital staff about their family's experience, a reflection of the deep bond they had built over the years. Jimmy's legacy and connection to the hospital lives on through the teen programming he set into motion and all the team members who benefited from knowing him.