Former NICU Patient Finds New Path as Radiology Student

Cali Horton, a 21-year-old student from Blue Springs, was a survivor from day one.

Her mother, Heather Horton, was pregnant with twins and diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome—uneven blood flow between twins sharing a placenta. Both twins, Cali and her sister Kara, were born prematurely and spent three weeks in Saint Luke’s neonatal intensive care unit.

As a result, Cali suffered from a rare vascular malformation of the brain, which required radiation treatment at age 2. Over time, the treatment fully cured her malformation.

An unexpected tumor

Throughout the years, Cali’s condition has caused recurring sinus and ear infections. So, in late 2024, she experienced an earache she thought was a common infection. But the antibiotics didn’t help, and she was losing her hearing. Cali went to her ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor for a hearing test, which revealed she only heard 16% out of her left ear.

Cali went for an MRI, which revealed a tumor causing her ear issues. This tumor is known as an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma), which is a noncancerous tumor that grows on areas of the brain affecting hearing and balance.

“Even rare things happen,” Heather says. “My husband and I were both obviously devastated. It was hard to process that she has a brain tumor after everything she had been through.”

Cali’s doctor referred her to Jonathan Breshears, MD, skull base neurosurgeon at Saint Luke’s Marion Bloch Neuroscience Institute. The tumor showed rapid growth after six months of monitoring, so they recommended surgical removal.

“Cali’s case is unique because she is quite young to have developed a rapidly growing vestibular schwannoma after surviving a rare vascular malformation in the brain at birth,” Dr. Breshears says. “The radiation she received at age 2 may have been a contributing factor to the development of the tumor.”

The 4.5-hour surgical procedure to remove Cali’s tumor involved a team approach by members of Saint Luke’s skull base tumor program. Working together, the surgeons successfully dissected Cali’s tumor off her facial nerve, which was confirmed to be benign. After one day in the hospital, Cali returned home to continue her recovery. She is grateful for the care she received and wants to encourage those who are in a similar situation.

“Staying positive helps everything,” she says. “And family is everything—find your support system.”

A look to the future

More than a year later, Cali has recovered well from surgery and has normal facial nerve function. She continues to see Dr. Breshears and his team for surveillance MRI scans to monitor any signs of tumor regrowth. 

“Her attitude has been to get through it and do the best you can with what you're dealt with,” Heather says. “I think she did such an amazing job with that. She's stronger than she knows.”

Several years ago, a family friend was nervous about getting an MRI. Cali brought the girl a stuffed animal and words of encouragement. She had been through MRIs enough times to know how to help someone through it.

After that interaction, Cali knew she wanted to help people going through difficult journeys. Today, she attends school to be a radiologic technologist.

“I want to do imaging for people because I've been through it and I know how it goes,” Cali says. “I know what their fears are.”

Through all the significant care they’ve received—the pregnancy, the brain disorders, and the tumor—Cali’s mother is glad Saint Luke’s could help her family through it.

“It's just been an incredible journey with Saint Luke’s,” Heather says. “We feel supported, our questions get answered, and we're getting the care that we need.”

Saint Luke's Neuro-Oncology

Saint Luke’s Neuro-Oncology program uses advanced treatments and imaging for brain and spine tumors. Patients quickly move from diagnosis to treatment with our oncology and surgery experts. Our team creates customized treatment plans for each patient.