When Ashley Fierro took her 13-year-old son Ryan to a routine eye exam, she expected a quick, uneventful visit.
Instead, the exam revealed something unexpected. The provider noticed signs of pressure behind Ryan’s eyes and recommended immediate follow-up at the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist emergency department.
There, additional imaging confirmed a diagnosis no parent is ever prepared for, a brain tumor that required urgent surgery.
“I couldn’t believe what they were telling me,” Fierro recalls. “I had learned about cases like this in nursing school, but when it happens to you, it’s completely different. I was in shock.”
Expert care when it matters most
Imaging revealed a choroid plexus papilloma, a rare type of brain tumor. Although these tumors are usually benign, or non-cancerous, their locations often make them dangerous.
“These tumors can block the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.” explains Dr. Rebecca Burke, pediatric neurosurgeon at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist who treated Ryan. “That causes pressure to build, which can become life-threatening.”
Looking back, Ryan had been experiencing symptoms in the months leading up to his diagnosis, including frequent, excruciating headaches along with vomiting and changes in his left-sided vision.
Burke notes that symptoms like these can signal increased pressure in the brain and sings of tumors like Ryan’s can be identified during routine vision exams.
As both a mother and a nursing student, Fierro had a lot of concerns. “I had a million questions,” she says. “I was worried about the procedure and how Ryan would be after a brain operation, but the team answered everything and never made me feel bad for asking even a simple question.”
“When a child needs brain surgery, you’re caring for the entire family,” Burke says. “It’s important that parents feel supported every step of the way.”
The next day, Ryan underwent surgery. “After 12 hours, Dr. Burke called to tell me they were able to remove the entire tumor, and Ryan was in recovery,” Fierro says. “I was incredibly relieved we were through that part.”
Strength in the middle of it all
In the days following surgery, as Ryan recovered in the hospital, Fierro was also balancing the demands of nursing school, including upcoming exams. Her professors had encouraged her to take time off, given all she was going through.
“There was something in me that said, don’t stop,” said Fierro. “With everything Ryan was experiencing, I felt even more motivated to become a nurse. I wanted to show him that when things get tough, we don’t give up.”
Just days after his surgery, she briefly stepped away from his bedside to complete a class presentation and exams.
During that time, Fierro says the nursing team supported her in ways she will never forget. One nurse set an early morning alarm to make sure she wouldn’t sleep through class. Another left her a note and a small gift wishing her luck on her presentation.
“They didn’t just take care of Ryan,” she says. “They took care of me, too.”
The road to recovery
After surgery, Ryan began his recovery at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist before transferring to Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital for a specialized pediatric brain rehabilitation program.
The goal was to help him regain his strength and independence so he could return to his normal routine.
“He just wanted to feel like himself again,” Fierro says. “To go back to school and be with his friends.”
At Levine Children’s Hospital, Ryan participated in physical, occupational and speech therapy, making steady progress. He also discovered a love for music therapy, which became one of his favorite parts of the day.
Throughout his recovery, Fierro continued balancing school and caregiving, studying while at the hospital and driving back and forth to classes.
“Ryan’s progress and Fierro’s perseverance were both remarkable,” Burke says. “They showed incredible strength throughout his diagnosis and recovery.”
Moving forward, together
About six weeks after surgery, Ryan returned to school on a modified schedule. While expectations were modest, he quickly exceeded them.
“He went back and got straight A’s,” Fierro says. “At his eighth-grade graduation, they surprised him with an award for never giving up. It meant so much to us both.”
Today, Ryan is continuing to excel in high school, and Fierro recently graduated from nursing school.
They often return to visit the care team who supported them, staying especially connected with the nursing team who played such an important role in their journey.
Before this experience, Fierro had not planned to pursue pediatric nursing care. Now, that path feels more personal.
“I feel called to help kids and their families through some of life’s most difficult situations,” Fierro said.
Learn more about the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist pediatric neurosurgery program.
