Mateo’s Story: A Fighter from the Start

Six-year-old Mateo, born in 2017, had always been full of energy—running, playing, and keeping up with his older siblings while helping make his baby sister laugh. But in late February 2024, everything changed almost overnight. He developed relentless headaches, vomiting, dizziness, and trouble keeping his balance. His mom, Nancy, remembers watching him walk with his hand on the wall just to stay steady.

After several days of worsening symptoms—and a frightening moment when Mateo vomited blood—his parents rushed him to Children’s Hospital in Dallas. A CT scan led to the words no parent imagines hearing: their little boy had a mass in the back of his brain.

“I had never heard the word medulloblastoma before,” Nancy shared. “I just kept thinking: take it out of my baby.”

Mateo was admitted immediately, and surgery was scheduled for Monday. The operation was long, but the surgeon delivered the news they had prayed for: the entire tumor had been removed and had not spread to his spine. Still, because it was cancerous, Mateo needed radiation and chemotherapy.

Through it all, he showed incredible strength. Within a week, he re-learned how to eat on his own. He worked through therapies, adjusted to his port, and took the changes in stride—even when his hair began falling out. “He never complained,” Nancy said. “He just wanted to get better so he could go home.”

For months, Mateo rotated between radiation every day and monthly chemotherapy, all while his parents balanced hospital stays, work, and care for three siblings. Some nights his dad went without sleep so he could be at every appointment. “It was exhausting,” Nancy said. “But Mateo needed us. Our whole family needed each other.”

During these long, emotional months, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation helped ease everyday burdens—providing financial support so Mateo’s family could focus on treatment days and connecting the family with resources, education, and support. “PBTF gave us one less thing to worry about,” Nancy shared. “In moments like this, that means so much.” 

Today, after completing radiation and chemotherapy, Mateo continues to recover with the same determination he has shown from the beginning. He is a gentle, brave, resilient boy—one who faced a diagnosis his family never saw coming and pushed through each step with courage beyond his years.

“We’re so proud of him,” Nancy said. “He’s our hero. He keeps fighting, and we keep fighting with him.”