MEET AUGUST “AUGIE”
In April 2018, when Augie woke up in the middle of the night with an upset stomach, his parents never imaged it would be caused by a brain tumor. As it turned out, he was nauseous because his very large tumor was blocking the release of spinal fluid and compressing his brain. He was just three years old when he was diagnosed with a pilocytic astrocytoma tumor. Since then, he has had three brain surgeries and fought a major infection in his brain.
“Our experience inside the Nationwide Children’s Hospital walls gave us a deeper appreciation than we ever thought possible,” says Augie’s mom, Kelly. “To us, Nationwide Children’s does not just serve the community. It serves communities everywhere. We were able to see first-hand that it is saving, changing, and shaping lives everywhere. To us, it was a calming presence at a time of great distress. A reassurance that we were doing everything possible. In addition, a network of support when we needed it most.”
Today, feisty Augie is cancer-free and proud of the scars under his bright red hair. He loves to swim, play Beyblades, build forts, and make vehicles out of LEGO bricks. He also knows that he can do hard things, just like his hero & fellow Nationwide Children’s Patient Champion Sam, taught him.
Diagnosis: Pilocytic Astrocytoma Tumor and Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Infection
Mile Sponsor: