Diagnosed with a rare brain tumor as a child, baseball player Kevin Eaise is now working with the surgeon who saved him when he was just 10 years old. A nice story !
It’s a lovely story that unites sportsman Kevin Eaise and his surgeon, Phillip B. Storm, chief of neurosurgery and co-director of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. When the baseball player was diagnosed with a potentially fatal brain tumor at the age of 10, the surgeon who treated him remained in contact with him.
The young baseball player had to have surgery
Ten-year-old Kevin Eaise is playing a baseball game and suddenly sees two balls instead of one. Back home, he blames his double vision on his lenses. But her parents take her to an ophthalmologist who notices something unusual and recommends an MRI.
The diagnosis was made: Kevin Eaise had an extremely rare tumor – a tectal glioma. “In this age group, this particular type of tumor usually stops growing“, says the surgeon, but in Kevin’s case, this lump had blocked the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid (a condition called obstructive hydrocephalus).
“The pressure was building in Kevin’s head from the liquid making him sick.“, adds the specialist.
The young boy therefore had to undergo emergency surgery. A delicate intervention, which was nevertheless “a success“. Surprising fact in the hospital landscape: Kevin and his family kept in contact with the surgeon.
“As I grew older, I became more grateful for what Dr. Storm had done for me when I was 10 years old“, reveals the athlete in the columns of Washington Post. “I realized how lucky I was that everything went so well.”
Kevin Eaise now works at the hospital
Today, almost 14 years after his operation, Kevin Eaise has joined the teams at the hospital where he was treated. He is also a recognized athlete, best pitcher in 2022 in the Ivy League.
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He talks with Dr. Phillip B. Storm’s young patients and explains the hospital’s mission – which is to explore new ways to treat brain tumors.
“Kevin has a calm demeanor and is great with families because he can understand what they are going through“, confides the surgeon. “They see this handsome, tough baseball player and they feel better, knowing he’s doing well in life. Kevin brings a lot of hope and confidence to children and parents going through stressful times“, he explains.
Kevin Eaise is now working to talk about his experience to as many people as possible. He interacts with young patients affected by the same illness as him.
“Being part of their fight is important to me“, says the player. “If they are hesitant about participating in the research, I let them know that I was in the same situation (…) This helps start a conversation.”
Kevin’s family also created a foundation that has raised nearly $1 million for research. The baseball player also applied to medical school. A great example of solidarity and recognition!