Erik's Journey

Ride 4 Erik 2008
Standing in back Erik Zimmerman
Rosie, Sami, Genna, Charlotte and Austin
Our precious survivors of the day. Celebrating life to the fullest!



>November 17th***15 years ago today Erik was diagnosised
He is our true inspiration


If you stop by please sign the guest book so Erik can see you visited!



THE STRANGEST, MOST GENEROUS, AND PROUDEST OF ALL VIRTUES IS TRUE COURAGE.
Michel Eyquem De Montaigne 1533-1592
***Erik’s quote for 2006 Graduation Year
Book***



Childhood Cancer Facts
# Childhood cancers are the #1 disease killer of children — more than asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined.
# One in every 330 children will develop cancer before the age of 19.
# The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) federal budget was $4.6 billion. Of that, breast cancer received 12%, prostate cancer received 7%, and all 12 major groups of pediatric cancers combined received less than 3%.
# Childhood cancer is not a single disease, but rather many different types that fall into 12 major categories. Common adult cancers are extremely rare in children, yet many cancers are almost exclusively found in children.
# One out of every five children diagnosed with cancer dies.
# Common cancer symptoms in children — fever, swollen glands, anemia, bruises and infection — are often suspected to be, and at the early stages are treated as, other childhood illnesses.
# Three out of every five children diagnosed with cancer suffer from long-term or late onset side effects.
# Childhood Cancers are cancers that primarily affect children, teens, and young adults. When cancer strikes children and young adults it affects them differently than it would an adult.
# Attempts to detect childhood cancers at an earlier stage, when the disease would react more favorably to treatment, have largely failed. Young patients often have a more advanced stage of cancer when first diagnosed. (Approximately 20% of adults with cancer show evidence the disease has spread, yet almost 80% of children show that the cancer has spread to distant sites at the time of diagnosis).
# Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region.
# The cause of most childhood cancers are unknown and at present, cannot be prevented. (Most adult cancers result from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet, occupation, and other exposure to cancer-causing agents).
# Nationally, childhood cancer is 20 times more prevalent than pediatric AIDS yet pediatric AIDS receives four times the funding that childhood cancer receives.
# On the average, 12,500 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
# On the average, one in every four elementary schools has a child with cancer.
# On the average, every high school in America has two students who are a current or former cancer patient.
# In the U.S., about 46 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer every single school day. That's about the equivalent of two entire classrooms.
# While the cancer death rate has dropped more dramatically for children than for any other age group, 2,300 children and teenagers will die each year from cancer.
# Today, up to 75% of the children with cancer can be cured, yet, some forms of childhood cancers have proven so resistant to treatment that, in spite of research, a cure is illusive.
# Several childhood cancers continue to have a very poor prognosis, including: brain stem tumors, metastatic sarcomas, relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.



What is Medulloblastoma?

Medulloblastoma is cancer that appears in the brain and spine. Medulloblastoma accounts for about 20 percent of childhood brain tumors. They most often occur in the first decade of life; half occur in children younger than five to six years of age. These tumors are slightly more common in males than in females. When Erik was diagnosed at 17 months old we were told that they had a lot of success with this type of cancer with the older children. With infants the odds were not good.


Erik’s Journey


It was November 17, 1992 when we heard the words “Your baby has cancer” This was the beginning of Erik’s Journey. Erik had brain surgery to remove most of the tumor in his brain. We were told that this type of cancer was very treatable in older kids but the odds were against an infant surviving!

Erik started chemotherapy in December of 1992 and continued with this until February of 1994. It was then that he finished his treatment with radiation to the brain and spine. It is by the grace of God and many skilled doctors that he is here today.




We were told that radiation is the cure for many. Now Erik is cured of this dreaded disease but has many long term effects from his cure. Erik sees about 12 specialists at CHOP through out the year. His latest problem started about four years ago when he had a mini-stroke. It was discovered that the radiation he received 13 years ago was now showing up with the blood vessels in his brain. The right side was much worse and he needed surgery.

We took Erik to Dr. Scott in Boston who had designed a surgery to bring blood vessels from the face area up in to the brain to create more blood flow threw the brain. Erik will be gong through more testing in June to decide when he will need surgery on the left side.

We were told by Erik’s radiation oncologist back in 1997 that we had received a miracle and that any problems that would arise in Erik future, by then there would be surgery and procedures to correct these problems. So far he has been correct.


We as Erik’s parents are extremely proud of our son and his courage. We have vowed to do everything in our power to give him the most successful future possible no matter what the cost.
Thanks you so much for your support!
May 17th, 2007 11AM Celebrating 13 years out of treatment!





We as Erik’s parents know the fear of having a child that you could lose to this dreaded disease. We are blessed in his healing and we look constantly for any way of assisting Erik in his future. Erik is a happy 16 year old boy. Still striving and working very hard to keep up and accomplish what comes easy for others. This website is meant to keep others posted on his progress and possibly help maybe another family with similar issues. It is my pleasure to be this young man's mother and I thank God everyday for giving me this child to love.


Long term side effects are a luxury of being alive


I will never forget these very special angels.

Sawyer, Myles, Nicky, Dakota, Michael, Julian, Mathew,and Joshua

They are together dancing in heaven!





Below are a listing of Erik’s doctors and problems. This isn’t meant for any sympathy for him, just understanding. Research still helps Erik in his future.

Journal

Tuesday, September 9, 2008 10:43 AM CDT

Erik and Jason are back in school and I think they are happy about it as well as their Dad and me.
Jason is back at Hunterdon Central this year. He seems to be adjusting very well and has no complaints at all. Erik has started Polytech for Pre vet. I have a meeting this Thursday at school to meet with his aid and teacher and guidance counselor. I want to make sure all is going well with the PreVet. Not sure he will be able to keep up and be successful with all of this. This is not a special Ed class by any means.
It’s something he really wants to we plan to give him the tools he needs for this. His doctors (when he was in the long term survivors clinic in July) were quiet interested in this and want to be kept updated on how he is doing. We went over the weekend and got his scrubs for class. So far so good! Erik may have some disabilities but when there is something he really wants and is interested in he really throws himself in to it and I believe he can do it.

I still have not heard back from Dr. Goldfarb at CHOP about Erik pulmonary testing. I’m sure that all is well. That’s what his assistant had told me. I would still like to hear from him as well.

We have been working endless hours on our event for September 27th. There are so many people that have come forward this year to help. So much going on and I am so excited about the whole vent not to mention so grateful for everything that is being done.

Aside from the pediatric cancer fundraiser event I am also planning a 60th Anniversary party for my parents. They decided they wanted a big party with band and everything. That will be November 15th.

Please continue to pray for all the kids that are battling this horrible disease called cancer. Prayers for them and their families as well.

Read Journal History

Hospital Information:

Patient Room: Home- 1217 Rt. 179, Lambertville, NJ 08530

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
34th St and Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA
215-590-1000

Links:

E-mail Author: enzimmerman@comcast.net

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Note: The foregoing information was authored by the patient, parent or guardian, or other parties who are solely responsible for the content. Such announcements or their content are not necessarily endorsed by CaringBridge, Inc. or any sponsoring agent. This information does not confirm that anyone is or was actually a patient at any facility.