Benign brain tumors are not benign
Fear, concern, and anxiety are all normal reactions when hearing that you or a loved one has a tumor. This is especially true when it is in the brain, the seat of our emotions, thinking, and personality. It is more frightening when the person with the brain tumor is your child. Then you hear what many consider to be the magic words – benign brain tumor – and think that all is right with the world again. However this is not always true. Just as in real estate, so too with tumors. Location is everything.
Benign brain tumors are an abnormal growth of cells within the brain. Unlike malignant tumors though they are not cancerous, they grow very slowly, rarely spread to other areas, and, usually, do not return when removed. All of which sounds misleading.
However, depending on their size and location within the brain, they can compress and damage portions of the brain creating problems and symptoms similar to those of cancerous tumors – headaches, nausea, vomiting, irritability, personality changes, etc. In other words, they can create severe problems and, if in a vital part of the brain, can become life threatening. Benign tumors need to be treated.
The Rory David Deutsch Foundation was set up in memory of Ross and Mindy’s son Rory. They are dedicated to funding research to find effective ways to treat and cure pediatric brain tumors, both malignant and benign brain tumors, as well as other grave childhood illnesses.
Contact us if you wish to find out how you can help in this fight to save children’s lives.
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