Local Doctors To Remove Haiti Girl's Brain Tumor

Family In Process Of Adopting 6-Year-Old

CLEVELAND -- Doctors said it's the largest brain tumor they have ever seen,
and on Friday they will attempt to remove it and change a 6-year-old girl's
life.

Cindy Knutson's family have been going through the process of adopting
6-year-old Evelyn from an orphanage in Haiti for a couple years, but during
that time they noticed the girl's health deteriorating.

A brain tumor went undiagnosed in Haiti and now fills two thirds of her
head.

"All of this area is the tumor and is creating water on the brain," said Dr.
Alan Cohen of Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. "Our goal tomorrow is
to go in and get the enormous tumor out of her head."

Children's Medical Missions located near Lima, Ohio, contacted Rainbow
Babies about Evelyn. Cohen, the chief of pediatric neurosurgery, said
Rainbow will do the surgery at no cost.

Now, the Sommers family from Wayne County is hosting the Knutson family from
Los Angeles while they're in Cleveland.

"After two years, we're just grateful and thankful for all this help - we
are," said Cindy Knutson

Knutson's son, Peter, said "I can pray for her and hope Dr. Cohen does the
best job he can."

A team of doctors, nurses and staff at Rainbow will do the surgery beginning
Friday morning. The complex surgery will take eight hours.

For more information on Children's Medical Missions.


.