Help Slade Stegall in his medical journey for brain tumor

*UPDATE*

I just want to write and keep everyone updated on what is happening with Slade. We took him back to Children’s Hospital (in Dallas) Monday and Tuesday. We stayed at Ronald McDonald House Monday night because his appointments on Tuesday started early. Monday evening they threw a birthday party for all the kids who have birthdays in April. Slade’s birthday is (today) Wednesday April 17th so he got to have cake and everyone sing to him. It was really nice.

He had appointments all day Tuesday…he saw the endocrinologist first which was a follow up appointment to go over his bloodwork. The endocrinologist is monitoring Slade for his adrenal insufficiency caused by the tumor pressing on the pituitary gland. He is doing good enough to lower his dose of medication to two pills a day unless he needs an emergency dose which includes taking more pills and possibly even an injection. We did find out that his human growth hormone is low and that he’s probably not going to grow any taller. He can’t take hgh at the moment because it will make the tumor grow also.

After seeing the endocrinologist we went to a different building and spent a little time eating lunch then headed up to see the neurosurgeon. They inserted a needle in through the top of his head into the reservoir (like a shunt) and started draining the cyst that surrounds the tumor. They were able to drain about 19cc’s out which was a little more than what the doctor predicted. Slade was so brave during the procedure. There was a child life advocate that came in and brought him some toys to fidget with his hands and she also held an iPad up the whole time so Slade could watch a movie. Slade was his normal smiley self at first, then part of the way through his face changed and you could tell he was hurting a bit. He said it caused his head to hurt. He was still a brave boy though. After that procedure, he rode in a wheelchair down to get another MRI. While there, he got to see Rex, the therapy dog. Rex really helps kids relax…and parents too. Slade did great through the mri, just watched a movie during the procedure. By the time it was done it was around 5:30 pm and we headed back to Ronald McDonald House. The Doctor called us as we were getting ready to leave and let us know that Slade will need to come back in a couple of weeks to go through the cyst draining and mri all over again. Once the cyst is small enough, he will begin radiation treatment and possibly chemotherapy to shrink the tumor. We were told that the radiation will take around 5 or 6 weeks of treatment time. We are so appreciative of all the donations that have been given. They are helping with the bills (that insurance doesn’t cover), the travel expenses and food while at the hospital. When we have to travel, George isn’t able to work, so doesn’t get paid. We would really be struggling without all your help. We are also sooo very thankful for all the prayers and thoughts. They are definitely helping to give us strength through all of this and the doctors said the cyst was even a tiny bit smaller. Please keep praying and also sharing our fundraiser because we need the continued help. This is going to be a long journey.

I’m including a few pictures of Slade at the hospital…the one with cream on his head is numbing cream for where they were injecting the needle. As you can see in most photos, Slade is a brave and smiley young man!

For more info, scroll down to our story! Thank you!

⭐️ OUR STORY⭐️

Hi, we’re George and Jennifer Stegall and we are trying to raise money to help our son, Slade, in his medical journey. Slade has been diagnosed with a Craniopharyngioma which is a rare type of noncancerous brain tumor.

Craniopharyngioma begins as a growth of cells near the brain's pituitary gland. The pituitary gland makes hormones that control many body functions. As a craniopharyngioma slowly grows, it can affect the pituitary gland and other nearby structures in the brain.

Craniopharyngioma can happen at any age, but it occurs most often in children and older adults. Symptoms include changes in vision over time, fatigue, headaches and urinating more often. Children with craniopharyngioma may grow slowly and may be smaller than expected.

Slade is also suffering from Adrenal Insufficiency caused from the tumor pressing on part of his brain. He is on medication 3 times a day for the rest of his life and will need injections if his body becomes too stressed from things such as vomiting or a car accident. We are also in talks with his endocrinologist about his hgh (human growth hormone) being too low (causing him not to grow). However, he can’t have treatment for this until the tumor is resolved because what makes his body grow will also make the tumor grow.

At this point, the tumor is around 2.5 inches, right in the middle of his brain. There is a cyst (fluid filled sac) on top (which is pressing on the pituitary and hypothalamus glands), then the solid tumor in the lower part of the cyst, with another part of the tumor which is growing into his sinus cavity. Slade has already had one surgery to implant a reservoir (which is kind of like a shunt) to drain the cyst. The neurosurgeon is saying the cyst has to be drained (multiple times) and shrunk before treating the tumor with radiation or possibly even surgery.

Slade does have insurance which is covering some of the medical bills, however George is missing a lot of work to take him back and forth to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas (a 2.5 hour trip one way). When George doesn’t get to work, he doesn’t get paid and has already used most of his vacation days. He is applying for FMLA so he doesn’t lose his job. Once Slade begins radiation treatment, we were told that he will have to stay there for 5 weeks. This is the part where we really need help! We need to raise enough money to cover some of the medical bills, travel expenses, food and gas while we are coming back and forth and for the 5 week stay in Dallas for his treatments. We also need to be covered in prayer because this is going to be a really long journey. We pray for Slade’s healing, guidance for the doctors and direction for us to get him the best care possible.

I am including some of the mri scans of the tumor: