Newark toddler keeps smiling, despite cancer battle

• An Oct. 17 benefit is planned for Adrianna Fritts, 1, who is battling brain cancer.
• The toddler has had two surgeries and is going through chemotherapy.

NEWARK — The staff at Children's Hospital has fallen in love with Adrianna Fritts.

It would be a challenge not to, her mother, Dava Wahl, said. Despite all she's gone through, the 1-year old is still smiling, laughing and playing with her toys.

Adrianna is battling a rare form of brain cancer. She's already had two surgeries and has started chemotherapy. But she hasn't let anything get her down.

"It’s been a long journey for her but she’s pushing through," Wahl said.

A benefit to support Adrianna and her family will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Beechridge Lounge. There will be dinner, raffles, an auction and a motorcycle run.

Several months away from her second birthday, Adrianna is usually energetic and always happy. So her family was alarmed in late August when she suddenly started vomiting several times a day.

Doctors though she had a stomach bug and gave her medicine. But she kept throwing up. Her behavior changed and she was clearly experiencing discomfort, her mother said.

When Wahl came home from work and found her daughter's eyes were crossed, she rushed her to Children's. Scans found a tumor in the middle of her brain.

She was diagnosed with pineoblastoma, a fast-growing tumor in the pineal gland.

Doctors performed surgery to relieve the pressure the tumor was putting on her brain. Then they completed a 12-hour procedure to remove 25 percent of the mass, Wahl said.

After three rounds of chemotherapy, her doctors will reassess if she needs a third surgery.

Although she's been living at the hospital for weeks, Adrianna is in good spirits, Wahl said.

"She’s awesome," she said. "Even when her eyes were swollen shut for a whole week, she was still feeding herself.  She was just awesome."

After going through such an extensive brain surgery, Adrianna has had to relearn to sit up and walk. She's been working with physical and occupational therapists at Children's to get back the mobility she lost.

Doctors were concerned that the surgery would also cause damage to her memory, but so far she seems fine, Wahl said.

Wahl has taken a leave from work to stay with Adrianna as she goes through treatment. Her doctors are uncertain about what the future holds.

If the tumor is completely removed with treatments and surgery, it still has a 50 percent chance of growing back, Wahl said.

"If it does grow back, it will be in the first two years," she said.

Adrianna is too small to go through radiation, and might have to go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for specialized treatment, if chemo and surgery don't work, Wahl said.

The benefit Oct. 17 will help her family prepare for the expenses of traveling to Memphis if she needs to go to St. Jude, she said.

The first bikers will leave the Beechridge at noon and travel to Jugz, The Triangle, Crossroads, The Port and the Mill Dam Corner Grille. The last bike will return to the Beechridge by 5 p.m.

Dinner will be sold at $5 a plate and the Silverado Band will play following the benefit.

Wahl said she's already been overwhelmed by support for Adrianna. People she doesn't even know have been sending cards, donations and prayers. Others have been following Adrianna's journey on her Facebook page.

"The support from Newark, from everyone, is amazing," Wahl said. "I just really want to say thank you to everybody who has been helping."

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries 

IF YOU GO

What: Benefit for Adrianna Fritts

When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 17. The first bikes will leave the Beechridge at noon.

Where: The Beechridge Lounge, 10880 Mill Dam Road, Buckeye Lake

Cost: Dinner is $5 a plate. The motorcycle run is $20 per bike and $5 for any extra riders. Dinner is free to riders.