Fan Has Bear-Shaped Brain Tumor
Jim Platt, a lifelong Bears fan, has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor shaped like a bear’s head, doctors confirmed this week. The growth, which is on the outside of his skull, first appeared during the 2007 pre-season. The prognosis appears uncertain at best for the last surviving brother of the Platt family, who has had an enormous presence at Soldier Field for the last two decades. The announcement was made three days after Platt was stricken at the family’s Mount Prospect (IL) home. Doctors conducted a battery of tests, including a biopsy of the bear head tumor, and identified the cancerous mass as the cause of his bizarre complexion. “I always thought the bear head was part of his game day costume – and I thought the change in his skin tone was actually face paint. I had no idea Jim was really sick,” his wife Michelle said on Thursday. The news sent shockwaves across Chicagoland. Many of his tailgating friends were visibly shaken, some tearing up, but they also expressed their hope for the best possible outcome. ‘‘The usual course of treatment includes a bear trap, radiation and chemotherapy,’’ said Dr. Mark Schwam, a neurologist who is working with Platt. But he added that decisions about the best course of treatment would be made after more tests and analysis. In the meantime, Jim Platt has decided to carry on with his everyday life. And he intends to be in the stands this Sunday to watch the Bears battle the Cleveland Browns.