Harry and the Chicken Dance

One of the many aspects of being an oncology fellow that has been most satisfying has been the comprehensive nature of the training I receive at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  The pediatric oncology fellowship training program and the entire staff of attending physicians have prepared all of us to handle almost anything that comes our way.  As I progressed further into my training, after many nights on-call, there were few things that I felt could truly surprise me.  That was, however, until one weekend morning when one of my dearest friends from college called me to ask me what I knew about a brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma.

There are some questions that you never expect a friend to ask.  This was one of them, and immediately I knew that it meant something had gone very wrong for my friend and her family.  Sure enough, she told me, her nephew Harry had been diagnosed with this brain tumor and was undergoing surgery the next day at Children’s Hospital Boston.  The next day I met Harry’s parents while he was in the operating room.  Shortly thereafter, surrounded by the pumps and monitors of the pediatric ICU, I had the privilege of meeting one of the most remarkable little boys I have ever encountered and a fast friendship ensued.  It was hard not to be drawn to this astonishingly bright, sweet and articulate child, to want to answer his innumerable questions, and to laugh at his jokes.  The doctors and nurses caring for him all marveled at the speed of his recovery.  We were all equally impressed by the speed with which his parents quickly learned the ins and outs of various hormones and medications that would be need in order to replace the endocrine function that the tumor had damaged.

Over the next few weeks I came to know Harry, his parents, and before too long, his entire extended family.  It was a joy to be able to witness, through Harry, the skill and  success of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children’s Hospital Boston’s multidisciplinary brain tumor program, where neurosurgeons, endocrinologists, neuro-oncologists, neurologists, oncology nurses, physical therapists, and neuropsychologists combine their expertise to achieve these extraordinary outcomes.  As weeks turned to months, and Harry continued to heal, we shared the joy of his aunt’s engagement and as the wedding grew closer, Harry informed me that it was his goal to dance at the wedding, no matter what.

And so it came to be, much to my surprise, that after many years of training, endless hours in the laboratory, and the reading of innumerable books and articles, that one of the sweetest and most joyous moments of my career thus far would be spent with this incredible young man, in the middle of a dance floor, surrounded by hundreds of people ... doing the Chicken Dance and smiling.

Harry and his family have everything to dance about - he is winning his fight against cancer.  Your donation through the Pan-Mass Challenge will support pediatric neuro-oncology programs at the Jimmy Fund Clinic, directly helping in the care of children and adolescents with brain tumors.  Please click here to make a donation today in honor of Harry, his family and amazing recovery.  It’s just as easy as doing the Chicken Dance ... trust me!