Salt Lake City - Tatum Fisher, the 10-month old daughter of Utah Jazz’s Derek Fisher, is in a New York hospital with a rare but serious tumor in her eye.
Tatum was diagnosed last week with retinoblastoma, a cancerous tumor in her left eye.
Soon after discovering the tumor, Fisher flew with his family to see a specialist in New York.
Fisher and his wife must decide on a course of treatment for their daughter. Their options are removal of the eye or a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Their most pressing goal is to save Tatum’s life. They also want to save her eye. And they think in her case, she should be able to keep her eye.
Tatum’s condition was first noticed by her mother who detected an odd reflection of light coming from her eye. The Fishers took her to a few doctors and then a pediatrician at the University of Utah who diagnosed the problem. Brother Drew has no signs of the condition.
Doctors at New York Presbyterian Hospital performed a procedure on the baby girl in which they injected chemotherapy drugs directly into the tumor hoping to shrink it. If three such surgeries do not shrink the tumor to the point where it can be removed, then the little girl will lose her eye altogether.
“My wife and I definitely plan to try and help as many people as we can,” Fisher said. “I don’t know how we’ll be able to at this point. If there’s a treatment out there, they should be able to get it. Some people can’t afford to get it. Some people don’t have the resources.
“They’ve done nine cases,” Fisher said. “(In) one case the child’s arterial structure wasn’t strong enough, but the other eight kids that had the treatment, all of their tumors have reduced in size.”
It is estimated that 1 in 15,000 to 1 in 30,000 infants in North America are born with retinoblastoma, making it the most common childhood eye cancer.
20 comments for NBA Player’s Daughter Diagnosed With Retinoblastoma »
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Oh, my God, it’s just not fair that all this bad stuff has to happen to innocent children, pray for Tatum
Comment by beth — May 13, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
I’am so sorry to hear that a child is sick,It breaks my heart to know that this a very serious problem for the parents.Please know that I’m praying them all.
Comment by Brenda Roy — May 13, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
My prayers are with Tatum Fisher and and the other kids who have this disease. I had not heard of it before.
Comment by Don Thomas — May 13, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
Pleasse let Derek know that Loma Linda uNiversity Medical Center treats this with their proton accelerator and have been able to preserve the eye in most patients.
Comment by Luanne Jones — May 13, 2007 @ 9:04 pm
I know that feeling of heartbreak when my child is sick. You just want them to get better. My heart goes out to your little daughter. I will pray for little Tatum Fisher.
Comment by RL from San Diego — May 13, 2007 @ 9:18 pm
May God Bless the baby..
Comment by Peggy Phillip — May 13, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
my prayers go out to Tatum. Bless her heart. For you must believe that God is got this. Allow God to use those people that will help her. For those are the gifts he has supplied
Comment by eunice harris — May 13, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
my prayers go out to Tatum. Bless her heart. For you must believe that God is got this. Allow God to use those people that will help her. For those are the gifts he has supplied
us with. Now you must trust that God is truly in charge. He will see you through, no matter what.
Comment by eunice harris — May 13, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
My daughter also was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, and lost her eye. That was over 3 years ago, and she is now a healthy, happy 5 year old. She runs and plays and has fun. Her prosthetic eye is so real, I have to rmember at times that it is not functional. Here’s the thing - please listen closely: do not try to save the eye. It is a terrible thing to say, but do not try to save the eye. The risk from secondary cancers, especially if she is genetically prone, far outweigh ny potential benefit.
Comment by Mark Smith — May 13, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
My son was diagnosed with retinoblastoma at age 2. He had his eye immediately removed as it was his only hope for survival. The tumor was almost all of his left eye. The sad part is that pre screening is so important for children and there is a free eye exam program out there for children called infantsee. It’s a free eye exam to check for things like this. Had we had been informed, we would have taken 5 minutes out of our time and maybe saved our sons eye sooner.
We are lucky to hopefully soon be over and done with after a year of surgeries for Ethan. I am so glad the Fishers asked questions upon noticing the weird reflection…we let it pass too long. I hope and pray for Tatum that she will be okay and God will be with her and her family at this time.
My sons website has plenty of information on this rare cancer. The URL is www.mommysmiracle.com
Comment by Angela — May 13, 2007 @ 9:55 pm
I have prayed for everything to go perfectly for Tatum. God will bless her.
Comment by guru — May 13, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
My prayer goes to all sick children in the world. Tatum you will make it God’s will.
Comment by Alvin Hicks — May 13, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Dr. Jerry Shields and his wife are the top doctors in the world for this type of cancer. They are located at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. They have written numerous medical textbooks on ocular cancer, and are probably the best in the world. I know because they treated me. I am a cancer survivor.
Comment by Clay Mateer — May 13, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
Go! little girl! Go! And be well in your beautiful family.
Comment by Larry Hill — May 13, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
I pray for her health and well-being. Tatum, whatever God wills, will be in the best interest for you and your family!
Comment by Malavika — May 13, 2007 @ 10:55 pm
Sometimes, it makes me believe that GOD inflicts sufferings on someone incapable to endure. But there are always deeper truths hidden inside. Our fight against these troubling times unveils these truths and we get better and stronger. I hope and pray hard that the little girl comes out of it without much trouble.
MAY GOD BE MERCIFULL!!!!
Comment by Varun Rajput — May 13, 2007 @ 11:37 pm
my brother had retinoblastoma as a baby, had his eye removed, and is now a happy 36-year-old man having a nice life, working as a teacher, travelling
Comment by Cindy — May 14, 2007 @ 12:39 am
May God bless you, you little angel!
Comment by mark — May 14, 2007 @ 12:44 am
I will pray.
Comment by Orlando — May 14, 2007 @ 1:20 am
Drs. Carol and Jerry Sheilds are miracle workers as well as doctors. They’ve both saved my son’s life over two years ago. They are the pioneers of treatment for retinoblastoma. Make no mistake, go to Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.
Comment by Christine — May 14, 2007 @ 4:32 am