When Dominick was almost 2-years-old, his Aunt Kristin saw his eye twitching very quickly. We only spotted it once or twice, then didn't see it again for a few months. When Dominick was scheduled for his next doctor's appointment, we made one with the eye doctor as well. This all took place near the end of March in 2008. At the eye appointment the doctor said he would send him for an MRI. He thought that it was happening because the nerves to his eyes may not be fully developed.

The next day Dominick's dad, Jason, was given the news that Dominick had a tumor on the optic nerve and we needed to go to the Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia. This is where our journey begins. After the first visit to Wills, they sent us to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). After a couple visits there with the oncologist and the ophthalmologist, Dominick was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Pathway Tumors (yes, not one, but two). Dominick must now go for chemotherapy to attempt to shrink the tumors so they become dormant. They cannot do surgery to remove the tumors because the tumors are in a "bad place." Dominick has his treatments at CHOP at the King of Prussia location each week, but every 3 months he still has to go into Philadelphia for an MRI and his visit with the oncology specialist and his ophthalmologist. This comprises of a lot of driving and hospital visits.

Dominick went through 1.5 years of chemo treatment to shrink the tumors. At 3 years old the tumors shrunk enough that his oncologist decided that he could take a break. Every 3 months, since he had a break from treatment, he would be put to sleep and have an MRI done of his brain.
 
When Dominick turned 5 his tumors started growing again. The left tumor had grown to meet the tumor on the right. Chemo treatments restarted immediately.
 
Dominick continues to go to the main campus CHOP and King of Prussia every two weeks for treatments. His treatment consisted of 5 days of 2 liquid chemo drugs and a pill then two IV drips, in addition to an MRI every 3 months.

In February of 2013 Dominick ended up in the hospital for a week and off school for another 7 days. He became very sick and he counts had dropped so much. This will be on going for Dominick the rest of his life. A recent MRI continued to show the tumors shrinking and by January of 2014 Dominick’s tumors became dormant again. To date they have stayed this way. He continues with the MRI every 3 months.

New growth can happen when Dominick himself hits major growth spurts as well as the old tumors becoming active again. We just have to keep praying for a cure.

Although this is the "normal" life for Dominick he doesn't let it get him down. He is a bright sweet happy 7-year-old. He is my hero!

Written by his Nee Née (Grandma), Robin Shelley
Updated: October 2014