Brain Cancer
Boy from Australia Completes Proton Therapy for Brain Tumor
A community of friends, family, neighbors and fellow Australians he had never met rallied around a young boy from a small seaside town last December. They generously donated funds to make it possible for him to fly oceans and continents away to have lifesaving proton therapy at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville, Fla.
Five-year-old Ted Marchmont was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumor, medulloblastoma. His father Robbie and mother Beth were determined to save his life and sought expert opinions from around the globe on the best treatment option for their son. They learned that radiation therapy would be needed following surgery to remove the tumor and before chemotherapy. They also learned that proton therapy, a state-of-the-art radiation technology not yet available in Australia, could precisely target the treatment area with little to no damage to healthy tissues nearby. Their research and conversations with medical professionals and parents of children who had been treated for brain cancers with proton therapy led them to Dr. Daniel J. Indelicato, an expert in pediatric radiation therapy.
They overcame many obstacles, the least of which was a 25-hour journey on two airplane flights and arrived in Jacksonville in January. Ted’s dad Robbie said that the first time they entered the Institute they had a mixture of emotions, including elation that they were here in the right place. Over the course of 30 treatments, Ted and his family settled into a routine and said they actually looked forward to coming to the Institute every day. Its warm, inviting atmosphere made them feel comfortable, from Mary at the reception desk to Kate in the pediatric recovery room. They stayed at the Ronald McDonald House, lodging for families who have traveled great distances for their child’s medical treatment, met other families who were being treated at the Institute and found strength in numbers. Outside of treatment, the Marchmont family had some opportunities to explore the Jacksonville area for a bit of distraction and stress-relief, including visits to the Museum of Science and History, an IceMen hockey game, and the beach. One weekend, they ventured further to live out Ted’s dream of going to New York City in search of Spiderman.
On his 30th treatment day February 20, Ted rang Aud’s Chime in the Institute’s main lobby, a tradition for patients to signify the completion of this leg of the cancer treatment journey. The Marchmonts said they wanted to share Ted’s story to help raise awareness of proton therapy and the need for a facility in Australia. They wanted to make sure that future families will have access to proton therapy closer to home.