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| Bailee Brakebill "Tournament to raise funds for MVES Student" A news report from the Mt Vernon (MO) Record. Wednesday 10th April 2002. Page 7. |
| Mt. Vernon - Mt. Vernon High School students are warming up their "spikes" in preparation for a benefit volleyball tournament. The MVHS Student Council will sponsor the event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13th, at the high school gymnasium. There will be food available for a donation. The event is designed as a fundraiser for Bailee Brakebill, an 8-year-old second grader at Mt. Vernon Elementary School who, in March, underwent brain and eye surgery at St Louis Children's Hospital. She is the daughter of Sam and Angie Brakebill of Mt. Vernon. In January, Bailee was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis, a disorder which allows tumors to form on the nerves. The diagnosis came after she came down with a viral pink-eye infection in her right eye. "If it hadn't been for the pink eye, we would have never known about the neurofibromatosis", explained Sam Brakebill. "While they were checking her eye, the doctor noticed something pushing on the nerve of her left eye". Brakebill said, generally the disease causes tumors to form on the nerves. However, an MRI revealed that the left optic nerve had become a tumor. He said from the initial diagnosis in January until Bailee's surgery in March, the tumor grew very quickly. In January, she had 20/200 vision in her left eye. In February it had decreased to movement within eight feet, and by March, Bailee's left eye ceased to function. At first, Brakebill said, Bailee was only going to undergo eye surgery. However, a pre-operative check revealed the tumor was closer to her brain than expected. As a result, on Thursday, March 14th, she underwent 6-12 hours of eye and brain surgery. During the eye portion, her left eye was removed, and replaced with an implant. Brakebill said doctors are optimistic that all the tumor was removed successfully. He said, however, that because the pituitary gland was "nicked" during the surgery, Bailee will take some form of hormones for the rest of her life. Brakebill said in addition to dealing with Bailee's illness, the family has also had to face the death of his wife's mother, Wanda Sue Price. The memorial service for Price was held the day before Bailee's surgery. The family is also looking for a new place to live as their rental home has been sold. Brakebill said there were several coincidences which occurred since Bailee's diagnosis. Last year, Bailee's mother, Angie, underwent brain surgery for her epilepsy at the same surgery at the same hospital. Because of the type of surgery required, the neurosurgeon had called in a specialist. Less than a year later, the same specialist was involved in Bailee's surgery. "So we actually knew him, and he was familiar with us", Brakebill said. Brakebill said Bailee is adjusting well to life with an implant. The implant moves like a real eye and looks pretty normal" he said. "The eye is healing well and starting to open on its own. Right now the implant does not have any color in the iris portion. Later, a lens will be implanted to color it in. Brakebill said they will take Bailee to the doctor tomorrow (Thursday) to be fitted with special glasses - which will help protect her remaining eye. Bailee returned to school at MVES on Tuesday, April 2nd. "We were really worried about that because we thought, she's eight years old and the kids will make fun of her" said Brakebill, "but she insisted, she wanted to go back to school". Brakebill said the support from her class (Mary Richardson's second grade), as well as the entire MVES family, has been tremendous. "We brought her back to school and the students where ecstatic to see her", Brakebill said. "One boy came running down the hallway yelling 'Bailee's back, Bailee's back'." Whilst the family has insurance - Sam Brakebill is a Youth Specialist with the Mt. Vernon (DYS) Treatment Center - the costs associated with the surgery will be high. Brakebill said the hospital visit alone is $40,000. He said this does not include any of the doctors' fees. Bailee has one sister, Blair, 10. She is the granddaughter of Jack Price and the late Wanda Sue Price of Joplin, and Marsha and Emery Hinkley of Neosho. For more information, or to donate funds for the Brakebills' medical expenses, persons interested may contact Sherry Rouner, MVHS Student Council advisor at 466 7526. |
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| "Clarinet Concerto in A" by Mozart. |
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