A 9-year-old elementary school student who has been battling brain and spinal cancer for the past 14 months will spend Wednesday as an Aurora Police officer.
Gabe Santistevan was named an honorary officer at a ceremony in the City Council Chambers of Aurora’s City Hall. Police say Gabe has “bravely battled this horrible disease, enduring a number of surgeries and intensive radiation and chemotherapy.”
Gabe completed treatment in July and scans have been stable and show no new signs of tumors. The boy is now dealing with side effects of brain surgeries and chemotherapy, however, including hearing loss, and pain and sensitivity to his hands and feet.
During the summer of 2013, doctors became worried when Gabe began losing interest in daily activities, suffering from severe headaches. Medical tests revealed a tumor.
Police say Gabe is kindhearted, intelligent and vibrant.
You can follow Gabe’s day as an officer on Twitter .
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul
