DOVER-FOXCROFT – Jonathan Mullis, 6, is fighting cancer, but his early medical treatment, his positive attitude, and the love extended to him from his family and community appear to have sucker-punched the disease.

On April 4, the same day he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a rare malignant brain tumor, the local boy underwent surgery and had all but a tiny bit of the tumor removed. Four days later, Mullis was back home enjoying playtime with his sister Rachel, 3.

“They [medical experts] gave us a lot of hope,” his father, Brian Mullis, said Friday.

As an extra precaution, Jonathan has had chemotherapy and radiation treatments to kill the tiny bit of cancer that could not be surgically removed from the brain stem. Last week, Jonathan started the first of six cycles of chemotherapy treatment as a safeguard.

“Currently there is no tumor left at all and now we’re doing the chemo to make sure it doesn’t return,” the elder Mullis said Thursday. “We have a very bright outlook for the future.”

Other than the long scar on the back of Jonathan’s head and the loss of his brown hair, no one would ever suspect the blue-eyed boy had cancer. His loss of hair didn’t really bother him since his father shaved his own head in solidarity.

For Brian Mullis, who serves as Mayo Regional Hospital’s emergency medical services supervisor, the diagnosis was shocking. “I’ve been on the other side of having to deliver bad news to people many times through the years,” and then the table turns, he said. “I don’t really know how to describe it [the diagnosis], it was a shock, it was hard to process anything but the most essential details.”

The father recalled that Jonathan “felt crappy” in January when he started to vomit randomly and have headaches. He said he and his wife, Liz, took their son to specialists for treatment believing it was a gastrointestinal problem. Then on April 4, Jonathan awoke from sleep with double vision.

Brian Mullis said he called his family doctor to inquire about a CAT scan and was advised to bring his son right in, which he did. That was the day he was diagnosed with the brain tumor.

What was most amazing, Mullis said, was that Jonathan was always upbeat about the entire experience. He would rise at 6 a.m. for the trip to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor where he received the treatment and he would never complain, the elder Mullis said.

To Jonathan, the treatments “weren’t that tough.”

The family made sure to keep Jonathan informed about his condition and his treatment. “We talk about cancer like most people talk about the weather,” Liz Mullis said. “We’ve been very positive and he’s been positive; he inspires us.”

Inspiration also has come from the medical help who deal with their son’s treatment. Brian Mullis said both Mayo and EMMC have been fantastic.

The community also has been fantastic and equally supportive, according to Mullis. A benefit supper and auction raised enough to allow Liz to take a leave of absence from her social work to stay home with Jonathan and his sister. Best Buy of Bangor provided Mullis and his son with tickets to a Red Sox game, which Jonathan said “was cool.”

On Thursday, Jonathan was presented with a sack full of baseball memorabilia from Burke Soileau of Sebec. Just as he had for a Dexter boy who had cancer and who loved baseball, Soileau had solicited autographed items to give to Jonathan.

Items given to Jonathan from Soileau’s private collection included a baseball signed by Mark McGwire, who played most of his Major League career with the Oakland Athletics before finishing his career with the St. Louis Cardinals; a large box of baseball cards; a framed autographed picture of McGwire and Sammy Sosa, who played with the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles; and a baseball signed by Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds. Other items were donated by Bob Jones of Milo, Roger Chesley of Corinth and Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president of Major League Baseball. Earlier, Soileau had given Jonathan a ball autographed by Sean Casey of the Boston Red Sox, the young boy’s favorite player.

Curled up on the family sofa Thursday, Jonathan showed his intrigue with the items as Soileau stood off to the side and wiped a tear or two from his cheeks.

“I knew he liked sports and I just feel good about it [providing him the memorabilia].

While Soileau said it bothered him to see kids suffer from cancer, Jonathan’s mind was far from the disease. “Cool,” Jonathan muttered as he fingered a baseball bat autographed by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.

Brian Mullis also was pleased with the gifts and the support. “We’ve just been overwhelmed and humbled by the support of the community,” he said.

“What could have been a horror was enlightened by the actions of a lot of people,” Mullis said.

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