Cancer free: Knolla gets clean bill of health
Staff writer
Like most 10-year-old boys, Drew Knolla has spent much of his summer playing with his brothers, swimming, and vacationing.
However, he's also spent time at St. Jude's Children Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., undergoing tests and attended Camp Hope, a camp for children who have cancer, located near Great Bend.
Drew has come a long way since late January when he was diagnosed as having two types of cancers. Six months later — following two surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy — doctors say the Marion Elementary School student is cancer-free.
"The doctors don't expect to find anything this close to finishing radiation," explained Drew's mother, Jennifer Brown of Florence. "If we can get five years out and there's no sign of cancer than it's likely it won't be back."
Drew's problems began late in 2003 when he started having headaches which were so severe they caused vomiting. A visit to an opthamologist confirmed it was more than a vision problem and Drew was sent to the hospital for an MRI.
The MRI detected a tumor and one day later after his opthamologist appointment Drew was in surgery in Wichita to remove the growth.
The mass was sent to the Mayo Clinic in Houston for analysis, but it was six weeks until the family learned the diagnosis, an astrocytoma and a grade 3 astroblastoma.
The diagnosis took unusually long because the experts were stumped. While astrocytomas are not uncommon in children, astroblastomas are usually only found in adults. "Both cells were found in the one tumor," he mother explained.
Drew's unusual condition and protocols qualified him for admittance to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Seven days after his arrival, Drew underwent a second operation to ensure all traces of the tumor had been removed.
Then began a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. By the end of May, Drew was able to return home to Florence and Marion Elementary to finish up the school year.
Drew returned to St. Jude's June 15-16 for a spine and brain MRI.
"Everything turned out fine," Brown reported. "They started him on temocolimide, (chemo pills) which he took for five days straight."
Returning to Kansas, Drew then attended Camp Hope for one week.
"He had a blast!" his mother said. "At first, he wanted me to pick him up on a Thursday. Then he called and told me to pick him up on Friday instead."
Ever active, Drew then participated in the Relay for Life in Wichita before taking a week's vacation to El Paso, Texas, with his father and stepmother.
"Now, he's doing tutoring with Mrs. (Linda) Allison. She's getting him caught up so he'll be back on track at school," Brown said. Allison was Drew's fourth grade teacher.
Drew will need to return to St. Jude's in mid-August for another MRI and checkup.
"Then, they'll check again in eight weeks. After that he'll be checked every 12 weeks," Brown said. "Now, we're just kind of waiting. He decided what he wants to do for his wish for 'Make a Wish'."
The family didn't think Drew would qualify for the program since he is now cancer-free; however, St. Jude's personnel assured them the program was for any child with cancer.
"This way he could go now while he's feeling well and it would be done if was to get really sick," his mother explained.
For his wish, Drew has chosen to visit Disney World.
"We'll probably go in early fall. The 'Make a Wish' people take care of everything," she added.
Brown said everything seems to be "going fine" for both Drew and the family and they were looking into options which would help them pay Drew's medical bills.
While insurance will pay for a chunk of the bills, the family is waiting to learn whether or not Drew will qualify for disability.
"So, we've been wondering whether to wait or go ahead and pay the bills," Brown said.
Since Drew's condition was first diagnosed, the family has been showered with spiritual, physical, and emotional support from the Florence community, their church family, and Marion Elementary School.
The school conducted two fund-raisers for the family near the end of the school year.
"Drew has just been going full speed ever since he got home," his mother said. "Some days I even have to tell him to rest. He's been playing with his brothers and swimming at the pool and reservoir.
"He's just doing great. We couldn't be more thankful."
