Meet ASK kid Matthew

“Is this ever going to be over?” sighed Heather Whitehead.  Her son Matthew was in the middle of his chemotherapy and radiation treatments for a childhood cancer called Pineal Germina, a rare brain tumor, and she was tired.  Thanks to the pediatric oncology team at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond and lots of prayers, Matthew’s treatments are over now, and he is back to being a third grader at Battlefield Elementary School in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
 
When Matthew grew four inches, four shoe sizes and four clothing sizes in three months, Heather knew something was wrong.  An endocrinologist sent him for an MRI to rule-out the “5% chance of a brain tumor,” and then the diagnosis came that a tumor was growing on the pineal gland, in the middle of his brain.  Matthew had surgery to reduce the pressure on his brain, but because of where the tumor is situated, doctors recommended radiating to shrink the tumor.

“I think about Matthew’s diagnosis every day,” says Heather, but now she’s able to see the blessings in every day, as well.  “Matthew was so afraid he was going to die, but ASK was there for us every step of the way.  Whether it was donuts for breakfast after a long drive, or a blanket to keep us warm, the people of ASK have treated us like family and made clinic bearable.”
 
Matthew was able to continue his favorite activity – playing video games – in clinic and has made lifelong friends. “We are so grateful for this sense of community and love that ASK has given us.
 
“This wasn’t supposed to happen to us,” continued Heather.  “We’re so lucky the tumor was caught early, and we’re so blessed to have the services and programming of the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation for our whole family.  How do we ever say thank you?”
 
Matthew is looking forward to spending the summer playing basketball with his friends and the upcoming ASK Day with the Squirrels baseball team!  ​