Webb Waddell was a healthy  9 pounds and 1 ounce when he was born in the summer of 2021. His mom, Laura, enjoyed a normal pregnancy, and there were no complications at birth.

There was nothing to foreshadow the difficulties Webb and his family would experience.

Then, at 6 weeks old, Webb began refusing his bottles and acting like he was in pain. Nothing Webb’s parents, Laura and Scott, tried eased his discomfort or made him want to eat.

When Webb was about 8 months old, his mom noticed his right eye dancing back and forth in an alarming way. She was referred to a neurologist at Wellstar Children’s, who discovered that Webb had a brain tumor. He was scheduled for surgery only a few days later. However, while waiting for surgery Webb had a stroke.

Following a successful surgery, Webb underwent chemotherapy for 14 months, finishing just before his 2nd birthday.

Now, Webb is on the road to recovery. He loves music and loves learning to talk. He also loves playing with his friends at preschool and his new baby brother, who just turned a year old.

Laura said she never fully understood the importance of having a world-class children’s hospital nearby until her son needed it.

“To just be able to ride down the road and get away, it really makes you appreciate the resources that we have here locally. Living here my entire life, I really had no reason to appreciate the children’s hospital until we went through this as a family. You don’t know you need it until you need it, and we really appreciate the resource.”