Shaun was just 2 years old when he began exhibiting signs that he was having neurological difficulties. Although he could say a few words as a toddler, he later stopped talking. He also started favoring one side of his body and drooling.

At Children’s Hospital Colorado, doctors found that he had a large cancerous tumor in his brain. His care team recommended that Shaun immediately initiate chemotherapy to reduce the size of the mass in his brain. He then underwent several intensive surgeries to try to remove the tumor. The combination of chemotherapy and multiple surgeries shrunk the size of his tumor, but after a few years, his body stopped responding to treatment. When he was about 5 years old, doctors attempted to reduce the size of the tumor again through surgery.

By this time, Shaun was experiencing many side effects from the aggressive cancer treatments needed to save his life. He was nonverbal and his right hand and foot were so weak that he could not grasp things or walk without tripping. Rigorous occupational, speech and physical therapy have helped him overcome many of these challenges. He is now dealing with many of the side effects of his cancer treatment, including early puberty, which has caused him to grow rapidly in middle school.

Today, Shaun is 13 years old and loves all things related to space. He has been to Kennedy Space Center to see a rocket launch and enjoys wearing his custom space suit.