Read Time: 3 minutes
David Reyes had always been full of life—active, loving, and driven by purpose. But it was the small, almost imperceptible changes that first signaled something was wrong. One day, he realized writing with his right hand had become harder. He brushed it off, assuming it was just a nerve issue.
But then the headaches came.
At first, he relied on over-the-counter painkillers, trying to manage the increasing discomfort. When those stopped working, David turned to energy drinks, pounding back Red Bulls like water, searching for some form of relief. Still, the pain pressed on.
Takeaways:
- Medulloblastoma is a rare, aggressive brain cancer that requires highly individualized treatment plans.
- Radiation therapy can be effective in shrinking brain tumors.
Impact: Huntsman Cancer Institute helps patients reclaim their lives through personalized treatment plans for rare cancers.
An Unimaginable Brain Cancer Diagnosis
On the morning of a long-awaited specialist appointment, David had already consumed three Red Bulls by 10 a.m. The pain had reached an unbearable level. He made a split-second decision to skip the appointment and go straight to the hospital. Something deep down told him he couldn’t wait any longer.
“When I got to the emergency room,” David recalls, “I was in so much pain that when the nurse asked me to rate it from 1 to 10, I said 20. I couldn’t even open my eyes or walk.”
A CT scan and MRI revealed the unimaginable: a lime-sized tumor pressing into his cerebellum—the part of the brain responsible for balance and coordination. David underwent emergency surgery, where doctors were able to remove about 35% of the tumor. A portion of the tumor was sent to the lab for a biopsy.
Then came the news no one ever wants to hear: It was medulloblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
“It’s a cancer you usually see in kids,” David says. “There wasn’t a set roadmap for treating it in adults.”
“I’m thankful for this heavenly miracle, but so is my family, that I went to Huntsman Cancer Institute. They saved my life.”
David Reyes
Doctors at Huntsman Cancer Institute worked with David to tailor a treatment plan specific to his needs. In David’s case, they chose an aggressive path: intense radiation therapy followed by plans for chemotherapy.
Radiation treatments, which are designed to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells, were grueling, David recalls. Through it all, he clung to what mattered most: his faith, his loving wife, his children, the unwavering support of his family and friends, and even the care of his coworkers.
“Cancer doesn’t just affect your body,” David reflects. “It messes with your emotional intelligence. I’ll never be able to do some physical activities, but I’m alive, and I get to see my loved ones every day.”
A Miraculous MRI
Following radiation, as David prepared for chemotherapy, his doctors delivered astonishing news: The MRI showed no trace of the tumor.
“I didn’t have to do chemo. The cancer was gone,” David says with quiet awe. “It was a miracle.”
David says he is grateful for Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Radiation Department and the expert, compassionate care he received.
"The radiation eliminated everything, and I didn’t have to do chemotherapy," he says. "I’m thankful for this heavenly miracle, but so is my family, that I went to Huntsman Cancer Institute. They saved my life.”
Now, a little under 10 years after his diagnosis with brain cancer, David is in remission and optimistic for the future.
“I meet each day with hope, faith, gratitude, and strength,” David says. “I wouldn’t say I’m 100%, but I’m alive. I get to enjoy my family every day and have opportunities to help others who are in a similar situation I was, and that’s what matters.”