9-year-old boy dies from an incurable disease “common in children”

In recent months the disease had returned. The child passed away peacefully, surrounded by the affection of his loved ones.

Sometimes life ends too soon and all around, the people close to this life, remain in disbelief and almost incapable of reacting. We're talking about the little one Leonardo Zanina child of only 9 years old, who was taken away by a terrible disease.

The death of the child occurred during the night between Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th April. Leonardo lived with his family in Vighizzolo di Santa Caterina d'Este, Padua, and had been ill for a long time. And it seems strange to say it, especially for a child, but in his short life, a good part of him went forward fighting against a merciless disease.

The disease, one brain neoplasm, manifested itself for the first time three years ago. At first, the treatments seemed to work, but in recent months the disease has returned. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done for Leonardo, who attended primary school at Villa Estense, nearby. The child passed away peacefully, surrounded by the affection of his loved ones. The Zanin family is highly respected in the village and has long been committed to fundraiser for scientific research.

What is the disease so terrible that it left the child no escape? A brain tumor, also commonly called brain tumoris an abnormal growth of cells that forms within the brain or nearby structures.

These cells grow uncontrollably and can sometimes be benign (non-cancerous) or, when the danger is greater, malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors generally remain confined to one area and do not spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors, however, can invade surrounding healthy tissue and spread to other parts of the body through blood or lymphatic flows (metastasis).

Experts say that brain tumors can affect people of every age, but “they are more frequent in children and the elderly”. Leonardo's, therefore, falls within a ruthless statistic that sees children among the most affected. The location of the tumor in the brain can determine the symptoms you experience.