Jacob

Jacob Steward

Jacob ("Jesse" as his parents like calling him) is a happy, creative, strong, and very active little boy who has been bravely fighting for his life.

Signs and Symptoms:

Jacob was diagnosed at 20 months old, after his family noticed a sudden change in his balance. Up until that point, he had hit all of his milestones right on time. He started walking just a few days after his first birthday, and by 15 months old, he was confidently running around, climbing stairs, and jumping on the bed and couch.

On February 10th, 2024, Jacob’s parents and Abuelita noticed he had started walking unsteadily. Initially, they thought he might just be tired or coming down with a cold, so they kept a close eye on him. Over the next two days, the clumsiness continued; he began veering to the side and even falling to the ground. Though he was always able to push himself right back up, it was clearly a departure from his "normal." 

Diagnosis:

On February 13th, his parents took him to a doctor in Tijuana, Mexico. After a quick assessment, the doctor suspected post-infection encephalitis, but strongly recommended further testing to confirm the diagnosis.

The next day, February 14th, Jacob was rushed to the ER in a children’s hospital in San Diego, California. After hours of testing, a CAT scan revealed the true and accurate diagnosis: Jacob had a brain tumor on his fourth ventricle.

Treatment (2024):

Jacob was admitted to the hospital that same night and underwent surgery to remove the tumor on February 16th. Doctors were able to fully remove the tumor without causing damage to his brain, and he recovered beautifully. Following his recovery, he completed three cycles of chemotherapy, which began on March 12th. 

On May 10th, Jacob started his first stem cell rescue cycle. He did amazing throughout the process and was able to be discharged after 21 days.

HIs second stem cell rescue cycle began on June 8th. Jacob had a really difficult and painful battle with mucositis during this time, but he managed to stay active, positive and happy through it all. During this cycle, medical staff noticed his apheresis line had shifted out of its original placmeent. Jacob underwent surgery for a central line change on June 26th and was successfully discharged from his second cycle 24 hour later. 

His third and final stem cell rescue cycle began on July 5th. He moved through this final round with immense grace, proving just how strong and resilient he is. On July 25th, Jacob rang the bell, finishing his chemotherapy treatment. 

He then began proton radiation on August 20th, 2024, completing 28 sessions. While the risks were many, his familiy's faith and the hope of radiation keeping ATRT away was stronger. Jacob finished his radiation sessions and rang the bell once again on October 2nd, 2024, waking up from his very last treatment happy, smiley, and immediately asking for food! 

2026 Journey & Recent Updates

February 2026: It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that a new tumor was found in Jacob’s spinal cord, and went in for surgery to remove the tumor. While this diagnosis brings a new mountain to climb, Jacob and his family face it with the same incredible strength and faith that has carried them from the beginning.

March & April 2026: Jacob began a new round of radiation treatments on March 19th to target the tumor. On April 17th, 2026, he received his final session of radiation and rang the bell once again! While his overall treatment journey will continue, completing this radiation is a massive step forward and definitely a milestone worth celebrating.

May 2026: Celebrating Jacob's 4th Birthday 

Jacob has recovered remarkably well from his previous surgery, and his next medical steps are now scheduled. He is set to undergo an Ommaya reservoir insertion surgery on June 12th. Following a two-to-three-week recovery period, he will begin chemotherapy treatments at the end of June. Looking ahead, Jacob is also incredibly excited to start Transitional Kindergarten (TK) this August!

Please follow Jacob’s Journey on his Facebook page - Jacob’s Fighting ATRT Journey