Giorgio is a bubbly, outgoing and determined boy. But in late 2022 at 4 years old, he began experiencing a lot of headaches and vomiting shortly after starting a new school. Even after many pediatrician visits and normal blood work, his symptoms worsened. It was only after an eye doctor recommended an MRI that Giorgio’s parents, Andrea and LeeAnn, learned the devastating news — their son had a brain tumor the size of an orange.
The diagnosis: ATRT
Giorgio was diagnosed with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT), a very rare and aggressive brain tumor. The diagnosis was confirmed after he had a nine-hour brain surgery at Children’s Minnesota to remove most of the tumor. The surgery was followed by five rounds of high-dose chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, radiation and surgery to place a special tube to drain the extra fluid in Giorgio’s brain. Because of the side effects that can come with such intensive treatment, rehabilitation was also a vital part of his care plan.
Rehab begins — right away
At Children’s Minnesota, rehabilitation services are not something extra — they are a key part of the care in the cancer and blood disorders program. The day after Giorgio had surgery to take out most of his tumor, he started working with physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), and speech-language pathology (SLP). These therapies were part of his treatment from the start, helping Giorgio get back his strength, movement, and confidence along the way.
“The rehab specialists met Giorgio so early on to get his baseline. They really helped get him as close to possible to the average for kids his age. We’re really glad they crossed our path,” Andrea said.
Physical therapy
After surgery, Giorgio’s left side was weak. Monica Olsen, his physical therapist, helped him relearn how to walk, balance, and eventually run, jump, and play with his little sisters again. Even when chemotherapy caused severe neuropathy, making it hard for him to walk or use his hands, Giorgio’s therapists adapted his care. They introduced ankle-foot orthotics and creative exercises to keep him moving forward.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapist Jasmine Fischenich focused on rebuilding strength in Giorgio’s hands and arms, helping him with everyday things like coloring, using scissors and playing with LEGOs.
“He was pounding the LEGOs in because he didn’t have the finger dexterity to push Legos into place until Jasmine helped,” his parents said.
Jasmine also worked with Giorgio on managing the big emotions that came with his cancer journey.
Speech therapy
When chemotherapy led to hearing loss, Children’s Minnesota’s audiology and speech therapy stepped in. Leah Benz, speech pathologist, supported Giorgio’s speech sounds in both English and Italian because his home is bilingual.
“I don’t remember a single time Giorgio wasn’t excited to work with Monica, Leah, Jasmine — they figured out what works for him and kept him motivated,” LeeAnn remembered.
Even when Giorgio’s care plan took him to other hospitals for treatments, the Children’s Minnesota rehab team worked with rehab providers at those hospitals. This ensured he got the services he needed at every step of his cancer journey. When it was time for Giorgio to start kindergarten, his cancer rehab therapists again worked with the school to create a plan for his success.
The Children’s Minnesota experience
Andrea and LeeAnn were struck by the holistic care provided at Children’s Minnesota. The integration of rehab into the cancer care, the proactive approach to rehab and the genuine compassion of every staff member made all the difference.
“The other hospitals have great specialists and we’re grateful for the care we received there. But the full package we got at Children’s [Minnesota] is hard to beat. It’s the intangibles; the way they approach families — the way they treated us like family — that got us through this,” said LeeAnn and Andrea.
Moving forward — with hope
Today, Giorgio is cancer-free and thriving. He’s graduated from PT, OT and SLP. He’s played soccer, taken swimming lessons and recently started learning karate. He continues to receive follow-up care at Children’s Minnesota, where the team will monitor him for any late effects and support his ongoing growth.
For Andrea and LeeAnn, sharing Giorgio’s story is about offering hope to other families. “We know where we were at the beginning of this. Our hope is that families who find themselves in the same situation can see a light at the end of the tunnel.”
