Steady healing after brain cancer treatment

Emmanuel dug his tiny feet into the grainy sand, wiggling his toes as he stared at the turquoise Caribbean Sea only a few feet away. A moment later, bursts of energy sent the little boy running toward the crashing waves. His parents, Andres and Kissy, couldn’t help but soak in every squeak and peal of laughter as the water splashed around him.

“He likes the warmth, the sun and the heat,” his mom said. 

That scene was replayed many times during a trip to Colombia, where Emmanuel and his parents walked to the beach every morning and again at sunset. Their trip was a promise fulfilled. A promise Kissy and Andres made to Emmanuel and themselves when they were told in the spring of 2025 their youngest son had brain cancer. 

After more than nine months of treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® in Memphis, Tennessee, Emmanuel was finally well enough to return home to California — his parents carrying with them the long‑imagined promise of that trip. Emmanuel had been to Colombia several times in his young life to visit his grandmother and extended family and revel in the ocean.  

“We had decided from the beginning that we would go; it was like a reward for all of us,” Kissy said. “He loves Colombia a lot and we figured for him to continue his recovery that was the best place to be.”

Emmanuel was almost 2 years old when he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children. He underwent two surgeries in California, the first to remove excess fluid, followed by another a week later to remove the tumor. Emmanuel would need continued treatment, including chemotherapy and possibly a stem cell transplant, doctors said.  

That worried his parents. A year earlier, when Emmanuel was just a year old, he was diagnosed with progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH), a rare genetic condition that causes bone to form outside the normal skeleton, specifically in soft tissues such as skin, fat and muscle. His parents were concerned about how cancer treatment might impact his POH, which could be worsened by inflammation.

Andres wanted to look into all options available for treatment including potential clinical trials, and they got a second opinion from St. Jude. The research hospital is a global leader in medulloblastoma treatment, known for pioneering the use of molecular information from the tumor in tailoring treatment plans.   

Emmanuel was referred to St. Jude, and he and his dad flew to Memphis. Kissy joined them a few days later. Emmanuel’s treatment included chemotherapy. He has also received supportive therapy, and hearing aids to address his hearing loss.

“We were able to uproot our whole life… and that meant we were able to focus entirely on him,” Andres said. “And you can’t put a price on that.” 

While in Memphis, Kissy and Andres said they tried to keep days as normal as possible. If Emmanuel was feeling well and his blood work looked good, they would take him to the Memphis Zoo, Children’s Museum of Memphis or the Memphis Botanic Garden. He also spent hours playing in the colorful toddler room at The Domino’s Village, which offers both short- and long-term lodging for patients and their families at no cost.

“The fact that he was happy and playing and enjoying himself, that really helped him heal,” Kissy said.   

Looking at Emmanuel, just a few days after arriving home from Colombia, Kissy could see the improvement in his health. During the vacation, Emmanuel slowly began to fill out again, regaining some of the weight lost during chemotherapy. He ate fresh fruit and homemade soups filled with vegetables almost every day. His skin regained a healthy, rosy color, and his dark hair began to grow back.

For Kissy and Andres, the vacation and their return home was a continuation of Emmanuel’s healing that had taken root at St. Jude.  

“At St. Jude, they were always working to improve his health — his mental and physical health — as well as how he is learning and everything else, not just the cancer,” Kissy said.

Kissy had been a monthly donor to St. Jude for several years, but she gained a deeper understanding about the research hospital while Emmanuel was in treatment. She said she now makes a point to tell family and friends about the work St. Jude does in the United States and around the world. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save more children. 

“We are a testimony of what St. Jude does,” Kissy said. “They took care of us, and we didn’t have to worry about medical expenses.”