Apollos
1 year old
glioblastoma multiforme
When Apollos was 4 weeks old, he was already trying to roll over and sit up. He laughed and smiled when he saw his mother. He was always happy.
But then one morning, Apollos woke up screaming and crying. He was inconsolable. His mother took him to the emergency room, where doctors said the baby had colic and sent them home. When Apollos’ appetite disappeared and his legs began to shake, his mother took him back to the emergency room. There, a CT scan revealed a mass on his brain.
Apollos underwent two brain surgeries before doctors determined that the mass was a rare type of tumor identified as a glioblastoma multiforme. His mother was frantic. “We were told he had six to nine months to live,” she said. “This was my brand new baby, and I’d wanted him for so long. And now we didn’t know if he’d live. It was awful.”
Apollos’ mother was desperate to give her son a chance at life. “I wanted to save his life and have him cured,” she said. She turned to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where doctors determined that Apollos’ tumor had started to grow back. He underwent surgery to remove tumor growth and then started 12 months of chemotherapy.
Apollos’ first MRI post-treatment showed no tumor growth. St. Jude’s brain tumor science and technology are at the cutting edge worldwide, and St. Jude has the largest research-based pediatric brain tumor research program in the country.
Apollos’ mother is thankful for the care her son has received. “No matter what door you come through at St. Jude, everyone you meet is so loving, kind and compassionate,” she said. “It helps me on this journey to see how happy he is. Apollos is excited to see his doctors and nurses every day. We both are.” Apollos recently celebrated his first birthday. He loves music, dancing and toys that light up and make noise.
