CHoR’s September calendar kid: Jonathan
Jonathan’s undefeated record against cancer
At 9 years old, Jonathan Fitzgerald was the goalie on his soccer team and a football quarterback. Normally an active kid, when he started having trouble walking, his mom, Keondra, grew concerned.
Keondra took Jonathan to the nearest emergency room, but tests didn’t show anything unusual. As time went on, his pain grew worse, and walking became more and more difficult. His mom, a nurse, brought him back to our ER. At this point, a CT and MRI showed a tumor on his spine.
Jonathan went into emergency overnight surgery to have the tumor removed. Pathology tests confirmed what Jonathan, Keondra and their care team were hoping against. On June 28, 2016, Jonathan was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare type of pediatric cancer that develops in nerve tissue.
Jonathan’s multi-year battle against cancer and journey with our nationally ranked oncology program at CHoR began.