Jay Bew, of Snow Hill, took his first plane ride. The trip took him across the country to California, where doctors performed surgery to remove a tumor Wednesday.
For much of his young life, Jay has had a tumor of the blood vessels, called a
hemangioma
, on the side of his face. The tumor is near a main artery. The surgery is risky, and insurance will not pay for it.
Mary Bew, Jay's mother, had a tough time finding a doctor to perform the surgery, then found a surgeon in California willing to do it.
The surgeon's two daughters were born with the same condition as Jay, and tumors on both girls were successfully removed.
The Snow Hill community raised more than $15,000 to make it a reality.
"You know, anybody who's a mother could realize how much I appreciate everything everybody has done," Bew said.
The surgery took place Wednesday. Everything appeared to go as expected, but doctors said they will know more when they remove Jay's bandages.
Jay should come home next week.
"You know it's just really amazing to think there is a doctor out there that can do it and it can be an outpatient thing," Mary Bew said. "But no doctors in North Carolina can do it or would even think about doing it."
As she waited for her flight at Raleigh-Durham International Airport earlier in the week, Bew remained optimistic.
"You know, all of this is happening for a reason, and it's to make my child have a better childhood and a better life," she said.
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