Susan

At age six, Susan was one of the brightest children in her class. Then she fell very ill. Tests revealed the presence of a large cell Anaplastic PNET—a malignant brain tumor. Suddenly, instead of experiencing the excitement of first grade, Susan was undergoing surgery to remove the tumor, then facing a long round of chemotherapy and radiation. While the treatment worked wonders on her cancer, the illness and its aftermath left their marks. Her hearing was compromised, the right side of her body was weakened (hemiparesis), and she was discovered to have developed a number of special learning needs.
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Susan’s neuropsychologist referred the child and her family to Making Headway, where they were introduced to Education Specialist Patricia Weiner, a member of our Ongoing Care Team. This was the start of a relationship that would last for many years. Ms. Weiner helped the anxious parents understand Susan’s changing needs, the services available to address these needs, and how best to obtain those services. She joined the family in working with teachers and special educators, as well as physical, occupational, language, hearing, and vision therapists.

From elementary through high school, Ms. Weiner continued to assist Susan’s family at dozens of meetings at school and with the Department of Education. She repeatedly observed in Susan’s classrooms to ensure that her needs were being met. Susan’s family remained very involved as well. Over the course of Susan’s schooling, over 200 educators played a role in helping her achieve success. Susan was still a bright and determined child, and with the help and support of all these adults she was able to compensate for many of her impairments.

Not long ago, Susan graduated high school with honors, and today she is attending community college. She’s doing quite well, but Making Headway Foundation will always be there for her if she needs us.