In December 2020, Brooke Berg’s gait suddenly changed. She was 8 years old.
“She started walking differently, and she couldn’t bend down,” explained her mom, Becky. “Our pediatrician fast-tracked her through orthopedics and neurosurgery. Thinking it could be a groin injury, they ordered an MRI of her pelvic region. Fortunately, the radiologist was able to see the lower portion of her L5 vertebrae at the edge of the image and noticed it was fractured. This type of fracture is very unusual to see in an 8-year-old.”
Brooke was sent to Advocate Children’s Hospital – Park Ridge for further testing, which resulted in shocking news.
“Brooke was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma of the spine. The tumor had caused one of her vertebrae to collapse, which is why her gait changed. It was devastating to hear that your child had cancer, but the prognosis was very promising.”
Brooke had eight rounds of chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, then two surgeries to remove the collapsed vertebrae, replace it with grafted bone, place a spinal cage and fuse several vertebrae.
“Unfortunately, she suffered nerve damage that caused a drop in her left foot and weakness in her legs that required inpatient physical therapy at Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn,” said Becky. “She was in the hospital for more than a month.”
Before they could bring their daughter home, Becky and her husband, Rick, had to make their house more accessible. They installed ramps and turned their dining room into a bedroom so Brooke wouldn’t have to climb any stairs.
“Once all the accommodations were made at our house, Brooke was able to come home. It was around the end of April. Neuropathy had set in, and her foot was very sensitive. Touching or putting pressure on her foot was painful, especially in her big toe. She had a lot of medications to manage the pain – at one point, she was taking 15 different medicines a day.”
Brooke went to physical therapy three times a week, and she had to have six more rounds of chemotherapy, which she completed in August 2021. It was a lot for a child to handle.
“It’s been rough, and we’ve had some dark times,” admitted Becky. “In the beginning, she didn’t understand what treatment would entail, and I think it was a rude awakening for all of us. But she was brave and took it very well. And she faced it in the midst of COVID.”
Because of the pandemic, Brooke was able to attend school virtually throughout her treatment.
“She got to see her classmates, and her teachers were amazing. After she was diagnosed, she wanted to tell her class, so we set up a virtual meeting. Kevynne, one of the child life specialists, gave us tools and helped us explain what cancer was and what the kids could expect in an age-appropriate way – like Brooke losing her hair, or being more tired than usual.”
Today, Brooke is a healthy 10-year-old. She has regular follow-up appointments, and she’s still working toward regaining strength in her foot and her legs.
“She wears braces on her legs for support, but she’s walking on her own now. This has all been intense, but we got through it, and now she’s making up for lost time. She’s president of the student council – I call her ‘Madame President,’” Becky smiled. “She’s in choir and the robotics club. She even went to a music camp over the summer and got to sing and dance onstage. She’s come such a long way, from being bedridden, then wheelchair-bound to dancing in front of an audience.”
Through her long journey, the doctors, nurses, physical therapists, child life specialists and palliative care team were supportive and compassionate.
“They went above and beyond making sure Brooke was taken care of. There are too many to thank, but we’re especially grateful to her oncologist, Dr. Siddiqui, Kevynne from Child Life Services, Katie Krawzak, Dr. Ganesan, and Dr. Flanagan from the palliative care team, and the nurses who helped her through her darkest times. It blows my mind to think about what everyone’s done to help my little girl. I don’t know if I could ever say thank you enough. She has her life back, and I will be forever grateful.”
Becky and Rick are also grateful for their support system over the last two years.
“We could not have gotten through this without the loving support of our family, friends, neighbors and our school district. They were kind, understanding and helpful, offering comfort and celebrating Brooke’s milestones with us,” shared Becky. “It truly takes a village.”
How you can help
The programs and services at Advocate Children’s Hospital, such as the Child Life program, cancer services and palliative care, are all supported by the generosity of donors. You can help families like Brooke’s by donating today.