Thank you for supporting me and the more than 300,000 kids worldwide who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. By sharing the gifts of your time, talent and money with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, you're supporting research to give all kids with cancer a better chance for a cure. Caden was just a normal toddler getting ready to turn 2. He was having difficulties with his balance/coordination so we took him in to see a neurologist and was prescribed a brain and spinal cord MRI. On Sept 17 2012 the MRI revealed a large tumor growing out from his brain stem and up into the right side of his brain. It also showed that his spinal fluid was being blocked. He went in for surgery 2 days later and they were able to remove about 50% of his tumor. They sent a peice in for a biopsy and 2 days after the surgery it came back as a stage 2 astrocytoma. Again Caden went in for surgery a week later to debulk more tumor and have his "port" placed for future treatments. Total tumor resection is about 60%, the rest is inoperable. It is also in a location where radiation is too dangerous as it can cause paralysis or worse. Caden has endured a total of 5 surgeries including tumor removal, shunt placement for draining spinal fluid and having his port placed. He is also on a blood thinner as they found blood clots in his brain after the surgeries. Caden now gets treatment at Helen Devos in Grand Rapids, MI. When they looked at his tumor they found it to be a stage 3 astrocytoma. Caden currently receives outpatient chemo once a week and is recovering still from surgeries(He has left side weakness from tumor removal) Thank you for reading Cadens story, he is a super special boy!!