Benefit To Assist Family Of Boy With Tumor
By Ed Pierce // May 19, 2012
Courage Personified
BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – Proceeds from a special benefit Sunday at the Bayside Beef O’Brady’s in Palm will assist the family of a 13-year-old boy suffering from a rare form of brain cancer.
Isaiah Bozza-Cochrane was diagnosed two years ago with craniopharygioma, a brain tumor that develops between the pituitary gland and the optic nerve.
Isaiah has had multiple surgeries and received radiation treatment, but the tumor keeps growing.
His family is undergoing sever financial hardship with his mother, Marielle Bozza of Melbourne, being a single parent who is struggling and is handicapped.
Because of limited facilities to treat Isaiah with this type of cancer in Florida, his family is making plans to take him to Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City for consultation and intensive treatment.
Sloan-Kettering is renowned for its pediatric cancer care, but Isaiah’s insurance company will not cover the expense of his treatment there.
The location of Isaiah’s tumor makes medical and surgical treatment very complicated and risky.
Because of his multiple surgical procedures and his doctors’ inability to completely remove the tumor, Isaiah has developed additional medical complications.
At this point in his care, his medical team feels it would be best for him to receive a second evaluation at another care facility to explore additional treatment options and possibly even clinical trials.
Isaiah, his family and medical team are hopeful that additional treatment options will stop the tumor growth and decrease the side effects so Isaiah can return to a normal life.
His mother said Isaiah has had such a positive attitude regarding his health issues and has been so strong even through missing much of his childhood, sports and school activities because of his many hospitalizations and ongoing medical care from the multi-specialist team.
Isaiah, his family and medical team are hopeful that additional treatment options will stop the tumor growth and decrease the side effects so Isaiah can return to a normal life.
The benefit for Isaiah will be held all day at the Bayside Beef O’Brady’s with breakfast, lunch and dinner meals.
The event includes raffles every two hours and a host of great prizes.
Bayside Beef O’Brady’s is at 3450 Bayside Lakes Blvd. SE in Palm Bay.
For those unable to attend the benefit, donations for Isaiah’s treatment may be made at any Sun Trust Bank by making a deposit to the ISAIAH COCHRANE fund.
Hang in there Isaiah. We all hope to see you healthy and active once again.
Hello I am Isaiah’s mom and we have lived and breathed this since he was first dx. back in September 2009. I can’t even describe the hardship that we have endured and the toll it has taken on my Zay and his younger brother and I. It is extremely hard especially since there are no pediatric speciality clinics here in Brevard County. My family has to travel many times weekly to Orlando for follow up care and treatment. It is very exhausting and finacially it has been really hard. I am unable to work for the reason that I take care of Isaiah full-time. Plus the added strain of being disabled and not being able to drive on my own is an added stress. This really changed our lives. May is brain tumor awareness and I hope people can come on May 20th and show their support for my family and you will also get a chance to meet Zay. If you would like to learn more about this fighter you can follow his journey on his website caringbridge.org/visit/isaiahcochrane or you can find him on Facebook. His Facebook site is called “Stomp Zay’s Tumor Out! Thank you in advance for your support.