Rowan was diagnosed with Brain cancer CNS Neuroblastoma Foxr2 Activate at 4 years old. He is stable.
What’s one thing you wish you had known in those first 48 hours?
“That surviving cancer wouldn’t necessarily mean the fight was over. I wish I knew how deeply childhood cancer and its treatment could continue to affect every part of his life years later.”
What helped you the most in those first 48 hours?
“The incredible PICU staff and how quickly his oncologist was willing to do absolutely everything possible to save his life. By the time they found Rowan’s tumor, his little body was already shutting down and his chances of survival were so low. Everything happened so fast, but while our entire world was falling apart, his team never stopped fighting for him. Knowing they were doing everything in their power to give our little boy a chance is something I will never forget.”
What is one moment in those first 48 hours that you’ll never forget?
“Watching my son slowly slip away from me right before my eyes. I knew something was wrong, but no one believed me until it was too late. By the time they finally found the brain tumor, our entire world had already changed. I’ll never forget looking at my little 4-year-old and wondering how we got there so fast… ”
If you could go back, what’s one thing you’d tell yourself?
“Take it one day at a time and soak in every single moment with him. Don’t let the fear of what’s coming next steal the good days you still have. Childhood cancer will change your entire life in ways you can’t even understand yet, and even surviving it won’t mean the fight is over. Take the pictures, make the memories, hold him tighter, and never take a single ordinary moment for granted.”
This First 48 story was submitted by Ashley.
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