Reirradiation - Photon

On Friday, May 8th Juliette completed 25 rounds of photon therapy! Boy oh boy are we so impressed by our girl. This was her second time facing radiation, the first being proton therapy back in November 2023. She has maintained a flexible, playful attitude since day one. While we are hopeful we’ll gain a few tumor free months, we’re painfully aware that this is not a cure.

The decision to have Juliette receive radiation a second time was not something we decided lightly. It’s actually been a part of our plan the entire time. Choosing re-irradiation marks the end of standard of care (resection followed by radiation) and the last time we can lean on this treatment. We can feel our options diminishing and our time slipping away. While there isn’t much data on the effects of re-irradiation, research suggests that longer gaps between sessions reduces the risk of complications. Our goal was to wait at least two years, and we made it.

The risks of re-irradiation are huge, with our biggest concern being necrosis (death of healthy cells or tissue). One of the important parts about radiation is the precision of the beam. You have to stay perfectly still while the beam is active. When Juliette was receiving proton therapy in 2023 she had just turned three, that meant daily sedation and a port, which brought its own risks of infection and disruption to her daily life. This round of radiation Juliette stayed awake for every single session, which made all the difference. This allowed her to stay in school in the morning, get picked up early, followed by car rides filled with snacks, chats, and episodes of Teen Titans. Her resilience over these last two years has been nothing short of incredible.

We’re so thankful for our community and especially our nurses who made our girl feel so safe, comfortable, and loved.