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Jan 15, 2009 7:54 pm US/Central
Belize Man Depends On Dallas To Stay Alive
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
When you see and hear Christopher Bowman in church, it's hard to believe that someone so animated can be so soft spoken.
"The Lord has brought me here," said Bowman. "I believe he will do more for me as long as I put my trust in Him."
The 21-year-old is counting on a prayer and a medical miracle. He'll need both to cure a massive blood tumor that if left untreated will eventually kill him.
"Sometimes it gets hard underneath my arm and it brings blood to my mouth every time I cough," he said.
The tumor is the size of a basketball. It continues to grow from his chest, through his side and out of his back and is preventing Bowman from taking care of his family.
"I need to work, because I take care of my mom," he said. "I want to continue doing that because my mom has nothing."
Bowman is from Belize, where for the last eight years his blood tumor has grown from the size of a fist to its current size. It's so big that doctors in his home country are afraid to operate.
"I came here to get well. That's all I need," he said.
That's where Mark Carroll comes in. Carroll's friend in Belize sent a picture of Bowman and soon after Carroll was looking for ways to help.
It just so happens, Carroll works for American Airlines. He used his free flight passes to fly Bowman from Belize to Dallas. Since September, the two new friends have been searching for the right doctors to perform the life-saving surgery.
"It's extremely hard to treat. It would be an experimental procedure. They can't really operate on it because he would bleed out, because the tumor so large," said Carroll.
According to Carroll, doctors at Parkland Hospital and U.T. Southwestern may try to cauterize the blood source with an electrical wire. However, nothing has been set in stone, mainly because of cost.
The clock is ticking, because the tumor is starting to press against Bowman's lungs. Despite the odds, Carroll still prays that Bowman's trip to Dallas will eventually lead to a miracle and a happy homecoming.
"I can't wait to send him back to Belize healthy," said Carroll. "His heart is back home."
If you want to help or inquire about Bowman's medical condition,
click here to send him an e-mail.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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