It was a little less than a year ago when a 16-year-old Fremd High School student got the diagnosis that he had a rare and aggressive type of brain cancer.
It was a little less than a year ago when a 16-year-old Fremd High School student got the diagnosis that he had a rare and aggressive type of brain cancer.
Finn Chapin is on the north suburban volleyball team at the Palatine school, and doctors say his sport helped him recover. It is the moment of celebration that most cancer patients pray for: Chapin got to ring the bell Wednesday, signifying he is in the clear. There are no signs of the potentially deadly brain tumor that led to a long treatment of chemotherapy, surgery and rehabilitation.
"I walked down the hallway, and everyone was cheering. It was awesome. It brought the biggest smile to my face," Chapin said. Once doctors were able to stop the spread and remove the tumor, Chapin had a long and arduous rehab that included his therapist using volleyball to help restore his muscles and movement.
"They're developing milestones in their life, and they have that thrown off by cancer is very difficult. But some of my bravest patients are the younger ones," said Dr. Vinai Gondi, who is in radiation and oncology at Northwestern Medicine. The family's medical journey began on vacation last summer when Chapin was suffering from severe headaches. At one point he dove into water and came to the surface feeling dizzy and disoriented.
That led to an emergency room visit and ultimately a scary brain cancer diagnosis. Pineoblastoma is a rare and dangerous type of pediatric brain cancer.
"We were hoping it was a low-grade tumor. But when we got the biopsy back, it was a high-grade tumor. That was the other big punch," father Wayne Chapin said. Chapin underwent chemotherapy treatments, followed by a complicated and risky surgery.
And after the surgery, he had to relearn how to walk, talk and perform many other normal physical functions. Chapin has plans to study information technology security in college. He also hopes to continue playing volleyball, which helped his recovery so much.
"Volleyball is you gotta keep track of this flying ball in the air. It helped me with my eyes and coordination," Chapin said. His doctors say Chapin benefited from an early diagnosis. And they hope to share his story to make people aware of the symptoms.
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