Focusing On Patients

Beating a brain tumor
(continued)

Franklyn spent a week in the hospital and continued his rehabilitation at home. He gradually cut back his seizure medicine. He slowly returned to getting honor-roll grades, going camping and playing sports. Subsequent MRI scans have found no recurrence, and he has not had another seizure since his surgery.

"Franklyn's parents made the right decision in giving us permission to address both the tumor and the seizures," said Zusman. "If we had just gone in there and removed the mass, there's a good chance it would not have cured his seizures."

Ciricillo and Zusman opted not to give Franklyn radiation, and while Franklyn will need follow-up care for many years, Zusman is cautiously optimistic about his prognosis.

"There is," she said, "a very strong chance this young man has been cured of both his tumor and his seizures."

The Barber family is happy to take those odds.