GET THE TUMOR OUT!

Theo has earned over 200 Courage Beads!

SURGERY TO REMOVE THE TUMOR

Tomorrow morning, Thursday September 15^th at 6:00 am Theofanis will arrive at Comer Children’s Hospital and be prepped for surgery to remove the primary tumor located on his left adrenal gland. Dr. Donald Liu, Surgeon-in-Chief, will be resecting the cancerous cells from his abdomen. The Yianas Family is asking everyone to say extra special prayers for our brave Theofanis. Please pray that God grant Dr. Liu and his surgical team the ability to safely and completely remove every single neuroblastoma cell from Theo’s abdomen. Please pray that God grant Theofanis the strength to heal and recover from the surgery quickly and comfortably. Please pray that God console Theo’s fears and replace them with reassurance that he is getting better. And please pray that God protect Theo tomorrow and always.

KEEPING HIM HEALTHY AND STRONG

Eleni, Kosta and Theo met with Dr. Liu last week to go over the surgical plan. Since Theofanis’ platelet level last Tuesday (September 6th) was 44 and shy of the 100 count that would allow him to be ready for the tumor resection, Dr. Liu had to wait to lock in a surgery date until his counts fully recovered. The one thing that Dr. Liu confirmed was the date of his next blood test, and the other thing Dr. Liu was insistent on was, “Keep him away from germs.” So no school, no soccer, no outings. But how do you keep a six year old boy, who by the way is feeling great, in seclusion? The answer is…you can’t.

Eleni and Kosta tried their hardest to keep Theo away from the nasty bugs that could compromise his immune system. As daily emails were coming in from the school nurse and supportive parents letting Kosta and Eleni know that their kids were fighting off colds and fevers and coughs, etc., it was clear that Theo wasn’t going to school. Instead, he kept up with homework sent home by his teachers, he read books, and generally kept busy during the day while his sisters were at school. Speaking of Demetra and Sophia, as each of them independently came home from school with slight sniffles and sneezes, the task at hand became keeping them a good distance away from their brother. So, how do you keep loving siblings away from each other? The answer is…you can’t.

Knowing that Theofanis’ white blood cell count was a low 1.3, Eleni and Kosta had to balance the “No, sweetheart, you can’t go…” statements with “Ok, let’s go for a little bit…” Because for as much as it’s important to keep his immune system strong and healthy, it’s as important to keep his emotional wellbeing at it’s highest point. So, Theofanis visited his friends’ “Fight Childhood Cancer” lemonade stand in Elmhurst, hung out with his cousin for a little bit, squeezed in a few quarters at his soccer game on Saturday, visited the eye doctor for a checkup (eyes are good and healthy, by the way), and he went to church and served in the Altar on Sunday.

Thankfully, Theofanis was able to stay healthy and relatively happy! It wasn’t until a few nights ago when he told his parents that he’s scared about the surgery that Kosta and Eleni were reminded about how valiant their little boy has been through every step of his cancer treatment.  And they were also reminded of how smart their little boy is because he inherently understands how critical it is to get the tumor out of his belly.

THE SPOT

On the eve of Theofanis’ surgery, the Yianas family is nervous but yet anxious for this milestone in Theo’s recovery. There will be a sense of relief that the origin of those nasty neuroblastoma cells are finally out of his body. Plus, the tumor that they remove will provide them with answers to many of the questions that have been haunting them. Is the chemo working? Is the cancer being killed? Are there any prognostic indicators? In addition to getting more information on the genetic makeup of the neuroblastoma, the pathology analysis is a critical step in understanding how the cancer cells are reacting to the chemotherapy. Plus, the results of that report will likely be indicative of what's happening in the tumor in his elbow.

Kosta and Eleni desperately want to know what's going on in their son's body because as of now, they have not had any absolute confirmation that the cancer is dying. The CT scan that was done last Tuesday showed no significant change in size of the tumor. This was a blow to Eleni and Kosta. As tears fell from their eyes last Tuesday when Dr. Liu told them that the tumor did not shrink, they tried to refocus on the positive news that (1) the tumor did not grow and (2) no new tumors appeared. And in the days that followed, separate calls poured in from Dr. Cohn and Dr. Panagrahi who understood the worry Kosta and Eleni carried. They told them to not be too concerned and that the purpose of CT scan is to give data and direction to the surgeon. The doctors told them to concentrate on the clinical signs that Theo's arm no longer hurts. And, they were told that there may be signs of calcification on the tumor, which would be a good thing.

Last Tuesday's disappointing CT scan, however, did not overshadow the good news that Dr. Liu delivered to Eleni and Kosta. Dr. Liu annouced that his plan is to remove Theo's tumor laparoscopically! Eleni and Kosta were amazed and shocked.  And actually, they were not the only ones surprised because Theo's oncology team was thrilled to hear the news as well!  Resecting the tumor laparoscopically means that it’s less invasive, there's lower risk of infection, faster recovery, and no ICU!  Dr. Liu explained that his plan is to make two small incisions in his belly and remove the entire tumor in one piece through his belly button! Amazing! He then warned that depending on what he sees inside, there may be the need to resect it via traditional surgery. But, he assured them that he would do his best to get the tumor out laparoscopically. God, please grant Dr. Liu and the surgical team strength and wisdom to make the right decisions, and please bless the hands of his surgeon so that the tumor is removed safely and completely.

Chemo #6 will immediately begin as soon as Theofanis recovers from his surgery.

WITH LOVE FAITH AND PRAYER HE WILL WIN

On this day, the Elevation and Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine, found the Holy Cross upon which Jesus was crucified.  The Holy Cross provides the strength upon which to carry us through both difficult and joyful times.  We are thankful that Theofanis was able to attend today's liturgy, the day before his operation.

As preparations are in full swing for the Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Fall Glendi and fundraiser on September 24th and 25th in Elmhurst, the Yianas family continues to feel blessed by the love and support that is pouring in for Theofanis.  The Glendi will benefit Theofanis and raise awareness of childhood cancer. Many family and friends at Saint Demetrios are contributing their time, talents, and donations for this event to be a success.  The community support is genuinely something to marvel and truly provides comfort and encouragement to the Yianas family with every card, good wish, thoughtful deed, kind note, and, especially, fervent prayer.

There are many fun, family-oriented events scheduled for next weekend. In addition to the food, music, dancing, talent show, crafts and games, there will be an emphasis on raising awareness of childhood cancer. On Saturday, September 24th at around 5:30, doctors from Theofanis' oncology team from the University of Chicago will be at the Glendi and will speak about Neuroblastoma and the research they are conducting to find better treatments and to bring us closer to a cure. Dr. John Cunningham, Section Chief of the Department of Pediatrics for the University of Chicago, Dr. Panigrahi and Dr. Pinto are planning to attend, along with others. Dr. Cunningham is also the head of the Stem Cell Transplantation group and will oversee Theofanis' stem cell transplant when he reaches that milestone.

Also, throughout the day on Saturday there will be head shaving and hair cutting for Pantene's Greath Lengths Hair Donations.  A dear friend of the Yianases will be donating $10 for the first 50 heads shaved/cut.  Many others are getting sponsors for their own head's shaving, too. Please be sure to sign up if you are planning to shave or donate hair during the Glendi. Demetra and Sophia have already made their appointments!

So, the Yianas family hopes to see you next weekend in Elmhurst! The plan is that Theofanis will have just completed his 6th round of chemo and he will be able to attend the Glendi with his family. And, on Sunday, September 25th, Kosta and Eleni invite you to attend the Saint Demetrios Divine Liturgy during which the Artoclasia, the blessing of the five loaves, will be celebrated for the health and well being of Theofanis, his family, and all his wonderful friends that are alongside him during his journey towards full recovery!

The love that the parish has for Theofanis and his family is more than evident, more than obvious, it is gleaming.  As mentioned, emotional well-being is paramount, and Theofanis could not have a better support system.