Pediatric Patient Stories

Macey smiles outside in front of her mom.
Macey was treated for a brain tumor at age 5, by pediatric brain surgeon Dr. Nathan Selden.

Learn about some of the young patients who’ve been treated at OHSU Doernbecher for brain and spine conditions.

Back to doing backflips

Sawyer does a backflip in the grass.

Sawyer was training as a competitive gymnast when he started feeling dizzy at practice. “It kind of felt like there was a ping pong ball in my head when I did flips,” he explains. A brain scan revealed an egg-sized tumor in his brain, which would require surgery and more than 30 rounds of radiation. Watch Sawyer's story.

"K-strong"

Kahleah and her younger brother giggle together.

Kahleah is a source of light and inspiration to everyone who knows her. A devastating car accident left her with multiple skull and facial fractures, but it did nothing to diminish her bright outlook on life. Watch Kahleah's story.

The sunny survivor

Macey smiles outside in front of her mom.

When Macey was five, her parents got the call no family expects. Brain cancer — a tumor the size of two golf balls. But they knew Macey had an amazing team behind her. Watch Macey's story.

"The best thing you can do is have hope."

Portrait of Ethan with a white background.

In April 2016, Ethan was at home in his kitchen and had just finished lunch. When he got up to clear his plate, he felt dizzy. “Then I felt like I was spinning. I got on my knees, and then fell to the floor,” he said. Though he didn’t know it at the time, Ethan was having a seizure. Read Ethan's story.