Like many high-achieving high school seniors, Lynn Wu took time deciding which college to attend.
The recent Tesoro High School graduate had several great options, having been accepted by some of the nation’s top universities for computer science:
MIT. Stanford. Harvard.
She chose Stanford.
“Growing up, I always planned to go to college,” says Lynn. “My goals never changed.”
Acceptance
A brain tumor diagnosis when she was 6 ½ years old left Lynn blind in her left eye.
When she was 9, surgery to reduce her ping pong ball-sized tumor left her completely blind.
Lynn’s brain tumor, pilocytic astrocytoma, was in the part of the brain where the optic nerves cross. Surgery to entirely remove the tumor wasn’t possible; CHOC doctors could only work to keep the tumor’s size in check.
After two rounds of chemotherapy, Lynn, today, is doing great. For the last two years, her tumor hasn’t grown.
Radiation could be possible in the future, but for now she’s a healthy young woman ready to leave her parents and younger sister for the great adventure that is Stanford University.
“Because I lost my sight at a young age, and because I’ve always been a positive person, I just accepted it,” Lynn said. “I thought, ‘This is my situation, so I have to make the most out of it.’ I can’t change anything. So I continue to move forward.”
Busby the guide dog
During a recent visit to CHOC, Lynn got a lot of attention as she walked through the hospital with her guide dog, Busby, a 2 ½-year-old male black lab she received from Guide Dogs for the Blind on her 17th birthday.
Lynn was joined by her mother, who says her daughter’s diagnosis was much tougher on her and her husband than it was on Lynn.
Lynn’s cancer was discovered after a trip to an optometrist for glasses.
Her sight in her left eye was so poor despite the new glasses the optometrist referred her to the hospital for a brain scan.
Lynn hadn’t noticed anything wrong with her left eye. She had been overcompensating with her right eye, and in photos both eyes looked normal.
She was just another kid who loved playing the piano, swimming, and drawing.
At CHOC at Mission, doctors delivered the news about Lynn’s tumor.
Most common brain tumor
Pilocytic astrocytoma, a central nervous system tumor made up of star-shaped cells, is the most common of all brain tumors, of which there are more than 140 types, explained Dr. Mariko Sato, director of CHOC’s Brain and Spine Tumors Program.
It’s a low-grade tumor, meaning it’s treatable and leads to a good prognosis if detected early.
Pilocytic astrocytoma tumors located in some areas of the brain can be removed surgically, but Lynn’s couldn’t.
Although low-grade tumors don’t respond well to chemotherapy, it’s the best option for treatment when surgery is ruled out, said Dr. Sato, who has been at CHOC since 2022 and has been Lynn’s primary oncologist since then.
Chemotherapy made Lynn feel unwell, but she persevered.
“I never felt sorry for myself,” Lynn said, “but rather knew I had to face my adversity with optimism.”
Tender care
Lynn’s attitude has endeared her to her care team at CHOC. A nurse loaned Lynn her phone so she could play Candy Crush. Child Life specialists engaged her in art therapy.
The examples go on, Lynn’s mother said.
“Everyone at CHOC has been very helpful and caring,” Lynn said. “They want to make everyone as comfortable as they can.”
When she lost her vision, Lynn spent several months at home before returning to elementary school.
During that period, a teacher for the visually impaired taught her Braille. In addition to literary Braille, Lynn also learned the Nemeth Code, a special type of Braille to represent math and science expressions.
In high school, Lynn took 14 AP courses, including AP Calculus BC and AP Physics C: Mechanics; competed in Mock Trial; and graduated with straight As.
Goals
As a future computer scientist, Lynn wants to increase digital accessibility and develop software and devices to empower different disadvantaged communities, including that of the blind community.
“A lot of websites aren’t programmed for people who can’t see,” Lynn said. “There are forms of assisted technology called screen readers that read what’s on the screen out loud, but many websites aren’t easily configured for readability.”
Lynn also hopes to pursue an MBA. And one day, she plans to start a non-profit that helps members of disadvantaged communities including the blind.
This summer, Lynn plans to indulge in her usual downtime activities:
Hanging out at the mall with friends. Reading. Playing the piano. Enjoying movies and TV shows on Netflix.
Says Lynn: “My life didn’t stop when I went blind. I can pretty much do everything I used to – just in a different way.”
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Learn more about the Hyundai Cancer Center at CHOC
CHOC Hospital was named one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ranked in the cancer specialty.
