Harrison Beffa
Some children, like Harrison, are born fighters. At 6 months old, Harrison began inexplicably losing weight and weighed only 11 pounds by age 1. He had also developed an uncontrollable twitch in his right eye, and doctors were left clueless. Finally, after an MRI and exploratory surgery, Harrison’s parents, Amanda Mange and Dan Beffa, were told he had an inoperable brain tumor and would need to start chemotherapy immediately.
After years of chemotherapy and radiation with no improvement, Harrison’s parents were given grave news: their son was going to die. Harrison was granted a Make a Wish trip during which he visited Kennedy Space Center to meet astronauts like his favorite character, Buzz Lightyear. Around the same time, Amanda became pregnant with a daughter who was, miraculously, compatible for stem cell transplants to Harrison. Despite being treated with stem cells and other experimental methods, Harrison’s tumor is still present (although stable). He lives with multiple symptoms from his tumor and a stroke he had at age 9.
Harrison, 18, has since become an Eagle Scout and graduated high school in Hillsboro, MO. He was allotted extra time for both high school and his Eagle Scout rank due to his disability, but completed both on time. He volunteers at Cardinal Glennon, and continues to fight to help others.