Hello Everyone, Welcome to Tommy's Wish Foundation. It is a program that our son Tommy asked for, he survived a brain tumor. How do you put down the first 15 years of Tommy's life with a brain tumor? You simply can't do it, it's too much information. It was day to day living with it. He had the tumor (ganglioglioma) from infancy and it was slow growing so therefore it was classified benign. For many years it looked like a cyst on CT Scans and MRI's. It was considered inoperable for all those years, we even got other opinions. But again only heads shook no, we're sorry. A few days before his 15th birthday he was very ill and his brain had become swollen. An MRI showed the tumor had suddenly quadrupled in size from an MRI done just several months earlier. His doctor could not believe what had happened after all the careful watching but we were losing our child. An oncologist was called in and medication was given to bring the swelling down so surgery could be done. His surgeon used VectorVision, 3D imaging that had came out to guide his surgeon to the tumor that was deep in his brain. Technology had caught up with our waiting son and his slow growing tumor. We were truly blessed, Tommy survived. The tumor can still return and he is still watched. He is now 23 years old. Brain tumors, like all tumors, fall into two broad categories, benign and malignant. A benign tumor is usually contained and does not spread, but that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous. According to the Brain Tumor Society (TBTS), brain tumors - even benign brain tumors - can recur and they can kill. Tommy's tumor grew slowly all those years and then it viciously turned on him - WHY? We don't know. Just like we didn't have answers for so many years. When he had surgery on February 7, 2002 we couldn't even find information on this tumor. Now we are beginning to find out more because research is finding out more on pediatric brain tumors. Imagine fighting this battle with no information. That what we were doing. His tumor was not even diagnosed until after he had surgery. We are still amazed and shocked!!! Tommy's Wish is this: that other children should not suffer as he did throughout his childhood because of illness. Tommy had to take so many steroids for asthma and the illnesses that he encountered that his veins were difficult to find for routine bloodwork, which most of the time was every week. IV's for CAT Scans and MRI's required RN's from the hospital. Our rule to them was get your best because you only get one stick. Tommy had bruises everywhere because of the routine bloodwork. At the age of 8 he stopped breathing from a severe combination of seizures and asthma. He spent several days in the PICU with tubes everywhere. We were in shock and still can't believe how close our child came to dying. Tommy is a survivor, so be happy for this. Yes, he still suffers from the effects of the brain tumor to this day. He lost his peripheral vision and still suffers seizures among other problems. He is disabled but a wonder to many. He is such a joy to be around. Tommy is extremely kind and so pleasant to be around. Today he enjoys bowling and painting. Tommy's Wish is to raise money for various organizations that help children who are ill. Every year a Math-A-Thon is held for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and here lately he has help individual families that are in need. He also donates for research to stop brain tumors. Please join us for "Tommy's Wish" God Bless You!!! Tom & Sylvia Effler Founders of Tommy's Wish Foundation, Inc. |
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| The 2010 Altar will be March 19th & 20th from 10 AM - 8 PM. 1032 Avenue C, Westwego. Blessing of the Altar will be at 9:30 am on March 19th. Food donations and Memorial Cakes are being accepted. Memorial Cakes must be delivered by March 18th. Fighting Brain Tumors & Cancer Together! 504 348-9866 |
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| Rover - Tommy's Dog |
| Tommy - Photo by Massarini Photography |
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World" Lyrics Performed by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high, And the dreams that you dream of Once in a lullaby (Ai) (Oh) Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly And the dreams that you dream of, Dreams really do come true (ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh) Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops High above the chimney top That's where you'll find me (Oh) Somewhere over the rainbow Bluebirds fly And the dreams that you dare to Oh why, oh why can't I (hai hai, ai ai ai) Well I see trees of green and red roses too I watch them bloom for me and you And I think to myself what a wonderful world Well I see skies of blue and I see clouds of white And the bright bliss of day I like the dark And I think to myself what a wonderful world The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky Are also on the faces of people passing by I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do They're really saying I, I love you I hear babies cry and I watch them grow They'll learn much more than we'll know And I think to myself what a wonderful world (urld urld, urld urld urld) Someday I'll wish upon a star Wake up where the clouds are far behind me Where trouble melts like lemon drops High above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me (Oh) Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high And the dreams that you dare to, Why, oh why can't I (hai hai, ai ai ai) Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh Ah Ah Eeh Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah |
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| Tommy's Wish Foundation, Inc. |
| When God allows a burden to be put upon you, he will put his arms underneath you to help carry it. |