Meet Franklin Kirwan

“My son, Franklin Kirwan, is a 6-year old boy who attends 1st grade at Northwestern Elementary School. He has recently been diagnosed with multiple brain tumors, as well as tumors on his stomach and side. In August 2019, Frank went for a routine eye exam where they found some concerning signs. It was decided he should be sent to Johns Hopkins University for further testing. In September 2019, after many tests, he was diagnosed with a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 1. This condition will cause tumors to grow all over his body, inside and out, for the rest of his life.

​

In November 2019, Frank underwent a brain MRI and PET scan, which showed he had multiple Neurofibromas on his brain, as well as another type of tumor called a Glioma. The Glioma is very fastgrowing, and it’s severely affecting his eyesight due to its location on his Optic Nerve Pathway. Unfortunately, this has caused Frank to become legally blind and means he could lose his vision. The doctors at Johns Hopkins decided Frank needed to have weekly chemotherapy treatments for a year, in hopes of preventing the tumors from getting larger, therefore reducing the risk of him losing his eyesight.

In December 2019, he had surgery to have the port a cath placed in his chest. His first chemo treatment was in January 2020; he has to have several needle pokes in his arms and port to receive his treatments. He will also need to continue with multiple eye exams and MRIs. All of this has caused him to have severe anxiety about going to his appointments. Since Frank has started his chemo treatments, he has not been able to do the typical 6-year old boy things. Frank recently had to stop going to school because he doesn’t have the energy to make it through the day, and his immune system is too low. As a result, he is missing out on being able to interact with all of his friends at school. Frank is your typical boy and loves being outside. He enjoys fishing, hunting, and riding his motorcycle and jeep. He loves police officers and firefighters and has recently been “sworn in for the day” to several local law enforcement agencies. When he grows up, he wants to serve the community as a police officer! We’re looking forward to being a part of this year’s Tangier Classic, and are thankful to be chosen as the beneficiary!”