Each year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) across the United States and Canada identify a “champion” in their community to represent children treated at their local children’s hospital. This year, 11-year-old Tucker Davis has been named the CMN Hospitals Champion for CHKD.
In April 2019, Tucker Davis hit his head after a fall in his family's living room in Virginia Beach. His parents took the 5-year-old to the emergency department at CHKD, just to make sure he didn't have a concussion. After a CT scan, doctors discovered something much worse. Tucker, who seemed perfectly healthy to his family, had a tumor the size of a lime growing in his brain.
Tucker was immediately admitted to CHKD, where a few days later, he underwent a seven-hour surgery to remove the mass, which turned out to be cancer.
After surgery, Tucker spent nearly a month in CHKD's pediatric intensive care unit recovering from posterior fossa syndrome, a condition that can arise after operations in certain areas of the skull and affect a child's ability to communicate and move.
"It was like he was a baby all over again," says Tucker's mom, Kelly.
The next few months were grueling for Tucker and his family. Tucker had to relearn to walk and talk in physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Slowly, he made progress with small movements, and after six weeks, he began to talk again.
Once he was strong enough, Tucker started chemotherapy treatment through CHKD's cancer program. Kelly remembers pushing him into the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in a wheelchair since Tucker hadn't begun walking again yet. She'll never forget what Dr. Melissa Mark, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at CHKD, said to her when they arrived: "Don't worry, we're going to give you your son back."
As Tucker received treatment, he enjoyed spending time in CHKD's playroom working on puzzles, making arts and crafts, playing bingo, and drinking grape slushies – thanks to CHKD's Integrative Care Team. Sometimes, Tucker's care team had to track his vitals from the playroom because he never wanted to leave.
"I don't think he fully understood it. One time he asked me, 'Do all kids get cancer?'" Kelly says. "He never complained about going to the hospital. But I think that’s because it was CHKD. They made it a place he wasn’t scared of. He felt so safe there."
Tucker kept getting stronger every day and started feeling like his old self again. In August 2019, an MRI showed that his brain tumor was completely gone. To make sure the cancer was eradicated, he underwent another six months of chemotherapy. Today, Tucker is cancer-free.
"Through everything – as Tucker recovered from brain surgery, learned to walk and talk again, and bravely endured chemotherapy and radiation – our medical team at CHKD was by our sides, supporting us on the tough days, and celebrating each milestone," says Kelly.
Tucker is now 11 years old. He started fifth grade this past fall and enjoys playing basketball, golfing, and making origami.
"I love CHKD because they saved my life," Tucker says.