Jacob

Jacob Steward

Jacob ("Jesse" as his parents like calling him) is a happy, creative, strong, and very active little human who has been fighting for his life during the past 2 months.

Signs and Symptoms:

Jacob was diagnosed at 20 months old, after his parents and close relatives noticed him walking a little wobbly.

He had always reached his milestones like any other baby/toddler. He started walking a few days after his first birthday, and by the time he was 15 months old, he would run around, go up and down the stairs, bed, and couch.

On February 10th, Jacob’s parents and Abuelita noticed he had started walking a little off, but thought it was because he was tired, or maybe even catching a cold; they continued paying close attention. 2 days had passed by, and Jacob would continue walking in a wobbly way, going towards the sides and even falling to the ground. Although he was able to reincorporate himself back up, it was definitely something out of his “normal”.

Diagnosis:

On Feb. 13th, mom and dad decided to take him to the doctor in Tijuana, Mexico, who after a quick assessment first diagnosed him with postinfectious encephalitis, however the doctor did suggest taking Jacob to have further tests performed to confirm the diagnosis.

The next day, on Feb. 14th, Jacob was rushed to the ER in a children’s hospital in San Diego, CA. and after long hours,a more accurate diagnosis was made, this time supporting said diagnosis with a CAT scan. Jacob had a brain tumor on his 4th ventricle.

Treatment:

Jacob was admitted to the hospital that same night and got surgery performed to remove the tumor on Feb. 16th. Doctors were able to fully remove the tumor without causing damage to his brain. He has successfully recovered from surgery!

He started his chemo treatment on March 12th. He has already gone through 2 cycles and is ready to begin his 3 cycle with Stem Cell Rescue.

He’s a total trooper, and he keeps smiling and making other people smile!

Please follow Jacob’s Journey: Jacob’s Fighting ATRT Journey