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Selflessness revealed through pain
By Ann Marie Shambaugh, Community Editor
Brandon Barta is a typical 12-year-old boy. He’s a member of a championship baseball team; he’s enamored with musical cell phones; and he’s big fan of the Dallas Cowboys.
What sets him apart, however, is a clump of cells in his brain called astrocytoma, more commonly known as brain cancer. It’s led to a loss of hair, appetite, and energy, but it’s also shown his family the strength of their son and the support of the Little Elm community.
“His doctors are real happy with how he’s handling everything,” said Theresa Barta, Brandon’s mother. “They’re saying he’s very, very strong.”
Brandon’s strength has brought him through two surgeries and almost two rounds of radiation. He was able to return to his baseball team after his first brain surgery, although he couldn’t play in games for long periods of time. After the second operation, which included treating part of the cancer that spread into his spine, his activities became much more limited.
“He wasn’t able to go back to school because he was going twice a week for radiation and it took a lot out of him and he just couldn’t maintain very well,” said Jerry Barta, Brandon’s father.
The Bartas first suspected something was wrong in November when Brandon complained of frequent headaches and fatigue. The problem was first diagnosed as a sinus infection, but soon the family knew they were facing a much bigger issue. “He called me from school and said it was hurting real bad,” Theresa said. By the time Brandon got home from Colin Powell Intermediate School, he began vomiting.
A CT scan found the tumor in December, and that wasn’t the only piece of bad news the Bartas received around that time.
Theresa’s grandmother passed away shortly before Brandon’s diagnosis, and the family said Jerry’s employer threatened his job because he was missing work for the funeral and Brandon’s doctor visits.
“His boss said that was too much time to be taking off,” said Theresa.
Two months later Jerry was laid off, which put the family in a financial pinch but in some ways became a blessing in disguise. A few weeks ago Jerry found a job with a company that is allowing him more flexibility.
“They know all about Brandon and our situation and they’re there for us,” Theresa said. “He knows he’s not going to lose his job because he has to go to the hospital with Brandon.”
Jerry was even given vacation time so the family can travel to Walt Disney World together in late June through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Besides a free trip to Florida, Brandon has been able to experience several other unique events through his circumstance. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban donated front row tickets to the Bartas for Game 2 of the playoff series against Golden State, the lone home game the Mavericks won.
“We would’ve been thrilled with seats way at the top, because we just couldn’t believe we were going to a playoff game,” Theresa said.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and running back Tyson Thompson visited Brandon in the hospital, an experience he describes as “pretty cool.” His mother couldn’t have been happier with their support.
“They came in about an hour before surgery, and it was a great distraction,” she said. “We were all so nervous.”
While the family appreciates the visits from notable athletes, support from community members makes an unparalleled difference.
“We’re not asking for anything but thoughts and prayers for Brandon, but people are just stepping up on their own,” Jerry said.
Since Brandon was diagnosed in December, friends, family, co-workers, teachers and even people the Bartas don’t know have flooded the family with support.
Eileen Horton, a counselor at Zellars Elementary, and Micah Pazoureck, whose son is close friends with Brandon, helped organized the “Barta Family Benefit” in May, a fund-raiser that brought in more than $3,200.
Although turnout wasn’t as great as Horton expected, she still considers the event a huge success.
“We were pretty disappointed, but then when we started counting money, we did great,” Horton said. “A whole lot of people just dropped off a donation.”
Little Elm resident Marci Petterson is helping the family in another way. She barely knows the Bartas, but she is donating the proceeds from her Arbonne cosmetic sales to help them.
“I started [selling] Arbonne to help others by showing them how to make extra money and donating where I can,” Petterson said.
She felt especially motivated to support Brandon because her mother-in-law also suffered from a brain tumor.
“She was in her 60s whenever this happened, and we watched it happen in our family,” she said. “Whenever it was happening to a child it just kind of struck home.”
Petterson has raised nearly $100 in a few weeks, and plans to donate her proceeds through June and possibly July.
Other fund-raisers have generated more funds to help with Brandon’s medical expenses, and an account in his name has been set up at Chase Bank for donations. The family asks that no one donates more than $10 per month.
“I keep a transaction log of all the stuff coming in and then specifically what bills that I pay,” Theresa said. “I would hate for anybody to think that we would use that money for anything else.”
The Bartas don’t know how long they’ll be dealing with medical bills, since treatment of Brandon’s condition is not cut and dry.
“It’s just a matter of time to obliterate the cancer as much as possible so that it puts it in a dormant state so that it doesn’t recur,” Theresa said.
Brandon is scheduled to receive more radiation and chemotherapy treatments, but doctors aren’t exactly sure how long a recovery will take.
“The hope is we blast the heck out of this and destroy all the cancer cells before you start doing [irreparable] damage to the healthy cells,” Theresa said.
Despite their circumstances, friends say that the Bartas have remained the unselfish family they’ve always been known to be.
“They would still help you if you needed help,” Pazoureck said. “They’re still just as concerned about their other friends and family as they are themselves.”
As the Bartas prepare for the next phase of Brandon’s treatment, they’re experiencing other changes as well. The family recently moved out of a hotel where they lived for about six weeks until their newly purchased home was ready. Brandon’s friends had been lining up to visit him once he was back into a house.
“There’s a waiting list now,” Jerry said. “He’s very well-known at school.”
Pazoureck’s son has visited Brandon throughout his struggle, and the boys have maintained their nearly lifelong friendship.
“He is funny and laughing and being a boy, being a regular kid, going on about everyday life,” Pazoureck said.
Although Brandon’s condition has thrown a curveball at his otherwise normal life, it’s given the family an opportunity to experience the genuine support of friends and loved ones.
“You think you know the people around you until something like this happens,” Theresa said. “It’s amazing how much clarity it provides.”
Selflessness revealed through pain
By Ann Marie Shambaugh, Community Editor
Brandon Barta is a typical 12-year-old boy. He’s a member of a championship baseball team; he’s enamored with musical cell phones; and he’s big fan of the Dallas Cowboys.
What sets him apart, however, is a clump of cells in his brain called astrocytoma, more commonly known as brain cancer. It’s led to a loss of hair, appetite, and energy, but it’s also shown his family the strength of their son and the support of the Little Elm community.
“His doctors are real happy with how he’s handling everything,” said Theresa Barta, Brandon’s mother. “They’re saying he’s very, very strong.”
Brandon’s strength has brought him through two surgeries and almost two rounds of radiation. He was able to return to his baseball team after his first brain surgery, although he couldn’t play in games for long periods of time. After the second operation, which included treating part of the cancer that spread into his spine, his activities became much more limited.
“He wasn’t able to go back to school because he was going twice a week for radiation and it took a lot out of him and he just couldn’t maintain very well,” said Jerry Barta, Brandon’s father.
The Bartas first suspected something was wrong in November when Brandon complained of frequent headaches and fatigue. The problem was first diagnosed as a sinus infection, but soon the family knew they were facing a much bigger issue. “He called me from school and said it was hurting real bad,” Theresa said. By the time Brandon got home from Colin Powell Intermediate School, he began vomiting.
A CT scan found the tumor in December, and that wasn’t the only piece of bad news the Bartas received around that time.
Theresa’s grandmother passed away shortly before Brandon’s diagnosis, and the family said Jerry’s employer threatened his job because he was missing work for the funeral and Brandon’s doctor visits.
“His boss said that was too much time to be taking off,” said Theresa.
Two months later Jerry was laid off, which put the family in a financial pinch but in some ways became a blessing in disguise. A few weeks ago Jerry found a job with a company that is allowing him more flexibility.
“They know all about Brandon and our situation and they’re there for us,” Theresa said. “He knows he’s not going to lose his job because he has to go to the hospital with Brandon.”
Jerry was even given vacation time so the family can travel to Walt Disney World together in late June through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Besides a free trip to Florida, Brandon has been able to experience several other unique events through his circumstance. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban donated front row tickets to the Bartas for Game 2 of the playoff series against Golden State, the lone home game the Mavericks won.
“We would’ve been thrilled with seats way at the top, because we just couldn’t believe we were going to a playoff game,” Theresa said.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and running back Tyson Thompson visited Brandon in the hospital, an experience he describes as “pretty cool.” His mother couldn’t have been happier with their support.
“They came in about an hour before surgery, and it was a great distraction,” she said. “We were all so nervous.”
While the family appreciates the visits from notable athletes, support from community members makes an unparalleled difference.
“We’re not asking for anything but thoughts and prayers for Brandon, but people are just stepping up on their own,” Jerry said.
Since Brandon was diagnosed in December, friends, family, co-workers, teachers and even people the Bartas don’t know have flooded the family with support.
Eileen Horton, a counselor at Zellars Elementary, and Micah Pazoureck, whose son is close friends with Brandon, helped organized the “Barta Family Benefit” in May, a fund-raiser that brought in more than $3,200.
Although turnout wasn’t as great as Horton expected, she still considers the event a huge success.
“We were pretty disappointed, but then when we started counting money, we did great,” Horton said. “A whole lot of people just dropped off a donation.”
Little Elm resident Marci Petterson is helping the family in another way. She barely knows the Bartas, but she is donating the proceeds from her Arbonne cosmetic sales to help them.
“I started [selling] Arbonne to help others by showing them how to make extra money and donating where I can,” Petterson said.
She felt especially motivated to support Brandon because her mother-in-law also suffered from a brain tumor.
“She was in her 60s whenever this happened, and we watched it happen in our family,” she said. “Whenever it was happening to a child it just kind of struck home.”
Petterson has raised nearly $100 in a few weeks, and plans to donate her proceeds through June and possibly July.
Other fund-raisers have generated more funds to help with Brandon’s medical expenses, and an account in his name has been set up at Chase Bank for donations. The family asks that no one donates more than $10 per month.
“I keep a transaction log of all the stuff coming in and then specifically what bills that I pay,” Theresa said. “I would hate for anybody to think that we would use that money for anything else.”
The Bartas don’t know how long they’ll be dealing with medical bills, since treatment of Brandon’s condition is not cut and dry.
“It’s just a matter of time to obliterate the cancer as much as possible so that it puts it in a dormant state so that it doesn’t recur,” Theresa said.
Brandon is scheduled to receive more radiation and chemotherapy treatments, but doctors aren’t exactly sure how long a recovery will take.
“The hope is we blast the heck out of this and destroy all the cancer cells before you start doing [irreparable] damage to the healthy cells,” Theresa said.
Despite their circumstances, friends say that the Bartas have remained the unselfish family they’ve always been known to be.
“They would still help you if you needed help,” Pazoureck said. “They’re still just as concerned about their other friends and family as they are themselves.”
As the Bartas prepare for the next phase of Brandon’s treatment, they’re experiencing other changes as well. The family recently moved out of a hotel where they lived for about six weeks until their newly purchased home was ready. Brandon’s friends had been lining up to visit him once he was back into a house.
“There’s a waiting list now,” Jerry said. “He’s very well-known at school.”
Pazoureck’s son has visited Brandon throughout his struggle, and the boys have maintained their nearly lifelong friendship.
“He is funny and laughing and being a boy, being a regular kid, going on about everyday life,” Pazoureck said.
Although Brandon’s condition has thrown a curveball at his otherwise normal life, it’s given the family an opportunity to experience the genuine support of friends and loved ones.
“You think you know the people around you until something like this happens,” Theresa said. “It’s amazing how much clarity it provides.”
