Health

Berkeley Middle Students Raise Money For Classmate With Life-Threatening Brain Tumor

by Nikki Gaskins Campbell
Pictured: Nathan Brumbaugh
Pictured: Nathan Brumbaugh (Provided)

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Some 8th graders at Berkeley Middle School have come to the aid of a fellow student fighting for his life.

On November 1st, students held a pizza fundraiser for fellow classmate, Nathan Brumbaugh.

The 14-year-old suffers from a rare, life-threatening brain tumor called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). He was diagnosed with the tumor in August.

DIPG is a type of childhood brain tumor that affects 200-400 school-aged children in the United States each year and has a five-year survival rate of less than 1 percent.

Unfortunately, treatment options for DIPG are currently very limited. Brumbaugh is currently seeking medical help in Houston, Texas for a new medical procedure that is not yet FDA approved. As a result, his insurance will not cover the costs. This, of course, is proving quite costly.

Pictured: Students hold pizza fundraiser for Nathan. The event was sponsored by Little Caesar's. (Provided)
Pictured: Students hold pizza fundraiser for Nathan. The event was sponsored by Little Caesar’s. (Provided)

“He’s an innocent child fighting for his life and a chance for him to live it lies within the need for more paper,” posted the teen’s aunt via GoFundMe.com.

Treatment will reportedly cost the family $56,000. It’s a fee that must be paid before doctors will perform the procedure, according to the teen’s aunt.

“The only thing scheduled at this point is an MRI,” stated the aunt. “Who does this to a child in need of immediate, life sustaining and prolonging medical care? Who can look my brother and his family in the face and tell them they need more in order to even start trying to save Nathan’s life?”

Shortly after Brumbaugh’s diagnosis, his family started a GoFundMe page. To date, the page has raised nearly $13,000 to help pay for the teen’s treatment and expenses.

Students at Berkeley Middle School along with the help of Little Caesar’s also recently raised an additional $300.

If you would like to help donate, visit GoFundMe.com. All donations, no matter how small, are appreciated.

 
Nikki Gaskins Campbell
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