In May 2016, Brittany Taylor noticed that her usually active 3-year-old suddenly didn't feel like doing anything. Andrew Supernaw, her son, "wouldn't get off the couch," Brittany told KFOR News. "It was terrible."
When she took Andrew to the hospital, she never expected doctors to find a melon-sized tumor in his abdomen. Doctors performed a series of tests and scans, then eventually discovered a mass in Andrew's small body.
The tumor they found was what is known as a Wilms' tumor, a rare form of pediatric kidney cancer.
"They said it was the size of a small melon. You can't believe that could fit in his body," his mom said.
Doctors had to remove the tumor, and with it, one of Andrew's kidneys. Luckily, Andrew's other kidney was healthy, so he was able to keep it.
Andrew's doctor, pediatric oncologist Dr. Chinni Pokala, told KFOR, "The tumor was so big, it stuck to the back of the abdominal cavity."
Now, Andrew's blood counts are finally high enough for him to receive his last rounds of chemotherapy. He is expected to fully recover.
Dr. Pokala said, "Wilms' tumor is one of the successes of pediatric cancer. For kids like Andrew, his cure rate is well over 90 percent."
From looking at Andrew today, you'd never know that less than a year ago he was desperately ill. Now he tosses a ball around with his mom, makes holiday decorations, and plays with dogs whenever he can.
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