Ramie Darling (RAY-ME), 10, hepatoblastoma (heh-puh-tow-bla-stow-muh), Boston, with
Katie (mom), Raymond “Ramie” Sr., and Allison O'Neill, MD, pediatric oncologist, Jimmy Fund
Clinic, Dana-Farber
· Ramie is from Vero Beach, FL and came to Dana-Farber specifically to see Dr. Allison
O’Neill, who leads the pediatric liver tumor center in the Jimmy Fund Clinic. He was diagnosed
in December 2022 with Stage IV Hepatoblastoma, a liver cancer. Ramie’s treatment has included
8 months of chemotherapy, liver surgery, and he also had a full liver transplant. He is slated to
be done with active treatment after about 2 more months of chemotherapy.
· He is a huge Boston sports fan and recently got the amazing opportunity to meet
Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. He attended a training camp practice as well as a game, where
he spent time with Mac and played catch on the field. It was an incredible experience. He says
that he is a Boston sports fan because Florida gave him cancer, but Boston cured his cancer.
Hepatoblastoma facts
· Hepatoblastoma is a type of liver cancer that is usually found in babies and children up to
age 3.
· Hepatoblastoma is rare, diagnosed in fewer than one in a million children.
· Children have a higher risk for developing hepatoblastoma if they have one of more of
the following factors: were born prematurely with very low birth weights; have hemi
hyperplasia—one side of the body growing faster than the other; have an inherited condition
called familial adenomatous polyposis.
· Affected family members develop multiple, initially noncancerous polyps in the colon
that become cancerous if not removed; have Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.
· Babies with this disorder are large at birth; develop low blood sugar; and often have
large tongues, large internal organs and problems in the area near their “belly buttons.”
· The survival rate is more than 80% if the tumor is only in the liver and can be completely
removed with surgery after chemotherapy.

Allison O'Neill, MD
· Dr. O’Neill is a clinician and scientist who spends 50% of her time treating patients with
solid tumors, with a special focus on treating patients with liver tumors, and 50% of her time
performing clinical and preclinical research.
· She is director of the Pediatric Liver Tumor Program therefore much of her research
focuses on improving outcomes for patients with rare liver tumors.