Tristan's Story

Tristan Kuhlman
Age: 13

Washington
Children’s Hospital
Brain Tumor


Tristan was only 5-months-old when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor that caused uncontrollable seizures. He underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but it came back after three weeks. Medications and chemotherapy were used in an effort to stop the 200-400 seizures he was having each day, but nothing helped.

Luckily, a solution to Tristan’s seizures was found at Children’s Hospital. Doctors explained that unless they removed the left side of Tristan’s brain, seizures would eventually kill him. His parents knew that was the only option and the four-hour hemispherectomy surgery ended Tristan’s seizures once and for all.

From the beginning, Tristan has exhibited an internal strength that doesn’t let him stop progressing. His parents were told that there was a possibility that he would never talk or walk again. Today, this 13-year-old does everything at sprint speed and never stops talking. He is extremely athletic and enjoys karate, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, baseball and swimming. His right arm doesn’t function like it used to, but he adapts and figures how to get things done.

Tristan may only have half his brain, but he lives life twice as full as most kids his age.