Benefit to support teen in battle with brain cancer
The diagnosis of cancer in a child can be a devastating blow to parents and other family members who love the child.
“I never thought I would be in that situation to hear those words,” said Jenny Hayden during a recent interview. It seemed as though her world was turned upside down.
Cole Hayden, 13, a seventh-grader at Springfield Public School, recently had surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor, and today begins radiation treatments on his journey to recovery.
The first indication of trouble was Cole’s eyesight. “He said he wasn’t able to see far away. He couldn’t see the board,” said Jenny, during a recent interview. “We made an eye appointment.” Although Cole had a few headaches sporadically during the previous three months, they thought that the headaches came with the vision problem, so that didn’t seem overwhelming.
During an appointment with an optometrist on December 19, the doctor found swelling in Cole’s eyes. After a CT scan, the doctor advised that Cole be seen by a specialist at Mankato immediately. On their way home, they were intercepted by a phone call from the optometrist. “The doctor said he had a specialist look at the CT scan, and that we should turn around and come back to have an MRI immediately,” recalled Jenny. “ ‘It needs to be taken care of now,’ was all he said. “However, Cole was unable to have the MRI done immediately because of other emergencies in the facility, and was given an appointment for the next day. “It was very nerve-racking,” said Jenny. “I didn’t sleep much that night.”
On December 20, Cole had the MRI. They were told that the MRI showed a tumor-like mass. “That’s all they could tell us,” said Jenny.
Cole and his mother were transported by ambulance to Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Cole’s father, Jeff, and a friend followed the ambulance by car.
On the morning of December 21, Cole had another MRI. The Haydens were shown the neuroimaging that revealed a tumor about the size of a golf ball. “It was a bit bigger than we originally thought it was,” said Jen. “They also found another little spot straight ahead of it.” At 6 o’clock that evening Cole had surgery to insert an external ventricular drainage (EVD) tube in his skull to drain fluids and reduce the pressure that caused the swelling.
Cole remained in the hospital with his parents at his side.
The Hayden family, including Kylie, 17, spent Christmas with Cole at the hospital. Trisha Reiner Schilling, a cousin of Jenny, prepared a holiday dinner and brought the meal to them. They celebrated Christmas with immediate family and several aunts, uncles and cousins in the family lounge at Children’s Hospital. “That helped a lot,” said Jenny.
Benefit Breakfast for Hayden Family set for January 29
A benefit breakfast (free will offering) and silent auction for the Hayden family is being planned by friends and will be held Sunday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Springfield Area Community Center.
Donations can be dropped off at SouthPoint Financial Credit Union at any time and marked: Cole Benefit Account.