At almost six years old, Bo has a busy schedule. There’s kindergarten, soccer, and scooter rides. There is time spent collecting baseball cards, Pokémon cards, and World Cup stickers. As the youngest of four children, he also spends plenty of time playing and laughing with his older brother and two big sisters.
To his mom, Emily, those everyday moments mean more than they once did.
Three years ago, Bo was diagnosed with a baseball-sized pilocytic astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor. Bo had recently been sick with COVID-19 and was taking longer than expected to recover. He was off-balance and experiencing unexplained vomiting. After visits to urgent care and a local hospital attributed his symptoms to COVID-19, Emily and her family knew something still wasn’t right and kept pushing for answers.
Eventually, they brought Bo to a local children’s hospital, where imaging revealed the tumor. They later learned that their decision to keep advocating for him may have saved his life.
“The doctor told us Bo had days to live had we not brought him to Lurie Children’s,” Emily said. “That will stay with us forever.”
Finding Strength in the Hardest Moments
A brain tumor diagnosis changed life for Bo and his entire family. Beyond the physical impact were tests, procedures, hospital stays, and the uncertainty of waiting for answers. Through it all, Bo remained Bo.
“He’s funny, hardworking, determined, and always has a smile on his face,” Emily said. “He’s been through more than most people, but he doesn’t let that define him.”
His experience also gave his family a new perspective on what matters most. They learned to advocate relentlessly, appreciate the everyday moments, and take the journey as it comes. During one of the most difficult points in Bo’s treatment, a doctor offered advice they still carry: take it hour by hour, then day by day, week by week, month by month, and eventually year by year.
Today, those years are beginning to add up.
Research Creates More Tomorrows
Bo started kindergarten this fall and is thriving. He still attends weekly speech, physical, and occupational therapy, but, as Emily describes it, he does it with a smile.
This is why continued investment in brain tumor research matters. Research can lead to a better understanding of brain tumors, earlier diagnoses, improved treatments, and better outcomes for children and adults living with a brain tumor. For Emily and her family, the hope is that continued discoveries will also mean shorter recoveries and a future that includes a cure for brain tumors.
“Continued support for brain tumor research will help future families have the same outcome as Bo,” Emily said.
Every Discovery. Every Family. Every Step Forward.
As Childhood Cancer Awareness Month ends, Bo’s story reminds us what progress can look like.
Sometimes, it looks like a discovery in a laboratory. Sometimes, it is a family finally getting the answers they need. And sometimes, it looks like a nearly six-year-old boy heading off to kindergarten, racing across a soccer field or laughing with his siblings.
Every discovery can change a life. Every family deserves hope. And every step forward brings us closer to better treatments, better outcomes, and, ultimately, cures.
This fall, your support of the American Brain Tumor Association helps advance research and provides critical resources for people and families impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis.
