The Bryan Family's Story
"There is no way we could have done it without the House. We would not have been able to cope," says Gary.
At first, Gary and Michelle Bryan assumed their son David just had a virus. Nearly three years old at the time, the otherwise healthy toddler started to seem a little lethargic. “Everything was absolutely normal,” says Gary. “He was running around, talking. All of a sudden we noticed he started getting a little bit tired. It really wasn’t like him, because he
loved to run around. He didn’t want to walk. Then he started throwing up.”
The Bryans took David to the doctor who put him on antibiotics. After three days without any improvements, they got a second opinion. “We thought it might be Lyme disease, which at the time we thought would be the worst possible thing ever,” says Gary. However, David’s diagnosis proved to be much more serious. “They called and said he had a massive brain tumor. It was basically the size of a fist inside his head.” Because of the severity of David’s condition, he was immediately flown from the Bryans’ hometown of Canadensis, PA to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. That night, David’s doctors drilled to relieve the pressure in his head from the growing primitive neuroectodermal (PNET) tumor, and the next morning he had his first of many surgeries to try and remove the tumor and treat his cancer.
Initially, the Bryans did not know how long David would be in the hospital. “We didn’t know anything,” says Michelle. “The cancer was very aggressive and rare in someone so young. They gave him just a 10% chance of survival.” After a week of sleeping in the hospital, the nurses recommended they contact the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, and in August of 2010 the Bryans began what was to become an eleven-and-a-half month stay at the Chestnut Street House.
During this time, despite multiple surgeries, his doctors believed as much as 30% of David’s tumor was inoperable. Complications, including meningitis, meant David spent much of his time in intensive care and that his chemotherapy had to continually be pushed back. When his chemo finally started, it had little impact. "There was not a lot of hope,” says Gary. “It was a very heavy time.” Finally, in December, David’s doctors decided, despite the risk, to try and remove the entire tumor. “I asked ‘What are the options? What happens if we don’t do it?’”, says Gary. “The doctor told me that to be honest if we didn’t do the surgery that he would not make it. No two ways about it. I told him, ‘There’s your answer. Let’s go for it.’” The six-hour surgery proved to be a great success. “The doctors were overjoyed, as we all were,” Gary says. “His chance of survival went up to 50%.”
In the months following the procedure, David underwent a bone marrow transplant and proton beam radiation, as well as daily speech, physical, and occupational therapy. In August, after nearly a year in the hospital, David was released. While David must come back every three months for brain and spine MRIs, it appears there are no signs of cancer. Now back at home, David—who was almost bilingual before his diagnosis—has to begin developing and learning all over again because of the tumor and its impact on his brain. “He’s essentially starting from scratch,” explains Gary.
The Bryans credit the House with making David’s illness more manageable. With Gary from Ireland, and Michelle from Puerto Rico, they had no family in the area to offer support during his time in the hospital. “There is no way we could have done it without the House. We would not have been able to cope,” says Gary. “From the financial aspect, there is no way we could have afforded it. It takes away all of the pressure and you can concentrate on your child. The House has thought of what you need before you know you need it.”
Staying at the House allowed the Bryans not to only focus on David. “You can’t focus just on your sick child, and the House really helps with that. We had to keep thinking of Jennifer, David’s five-year-old sister. Whatever David went through, she went through. She was very scared, but to her, the House was a magical place. When we found out we were going home, Jennifer said ‘I don’t want to go home. I like it here." Michelle agrees. “Being able to stay here is wonderful. It keeps the family together,” she says. “I have to say I did not miss my house. My house during that time was empty and my family was here. This was truly my home for all of that time.”
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The Heart of the House is our Volunteer program. The volunteers serve in many ways, helping to make the House a comfortable and supportive place for our families. The caring volunteers of the PRMH make this House a home.
