It didn't look as if Hannah Deal was going to live beyond childhood when doctors found a tumor anchored at her brain stem.

The 4-year-old girl was featured in Caring Connection in July when she was given only 12 months to live. A tumor, diagnosed as diffuse pontine gliomas, diminished her ability to keep her balance and impaired her hearing and sight.

Hannah, who lives in Largo with parents Lisa and Shaun but has family in Tallahassee, was given a 1-percent chance of living, and her medical expenses had rocketed beyond her parents' expectations and ability. Her local family members organized a fundraising garage sale, and many residents came out to support their efforts.

That was six months ago. The good news is Hannah is doing much better.

Her tumor was the size of a golf ball, but it was reduced to the size of a quarter after she completed the Gamma Knife treatment, which delivers a high dose of ionizing radiation to stop the growth of the target tumor.

"She has prolonged her life," Hannah's mother said. The procedure isn't normally done on children, so doctors told her it's hard to gauge how much longer her life has been extended.

According to the Medical Center at the University of Maryland, the procedure involves four main steps: framing the patient's head with a specially made instrument that penetrates the head about two millimeters; taking an MRI to get the exact location of the tumor; making treatment plans to determine the dosage and exposure time; and then administering treatment.

The entire process lasts up to five hours.

Lee Ann Hebenthal, Hannah's grandmother who lives in Tallahassee, said it's as if they've witnessed a miracle.

"She's progressing very well," she said.

Deal said her daughter is back to playing and running.

She said the help generated from Tallahassee and beyond was a huge relief because she had to quit her job to take care of Hannah. She received letters and donations from people in Australia, Bangkok and Ireland, to name a few.

"In this modern day," Deal said, "I wouldn't think people from all over the world would care."

back to Leukemia News Home

 

back to top

NOTE: This web site is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider