Stories

Son Diagnosed at Age 7 My son was diagnosed with grade 2 ependymoma when he was seven. He was getting headaches and throwing up. It was devastating. The doctors were not hopeful. He had surgery and radiation and is cancer-free.  It’s been 14 years since his diagnosis and is now thriving like a normal young adult. We are thankful for […] May 20, 2026

Young Mother with Astrocytoma After months of having excruciating headaches on and off, my OB/GYN doctors told me they were “just hormone headaches and postpartum issues.” After multiple days of another episode of these headaches, I woke up on December 16 with impaired vision.  I called her husband, Peter, who hurried home from work to find me in distress […] May 20, 2026

Zach Baird Strong Zach’s story begins in the South Bay, where he grew up surrounded by the ocean — a place that helped shape his adventurous spirit and love for life. He went on to attend UC Santa Barbara, where he continued to embrace everything the California coast had to offer. Zach has always been someone who chases […] May 20, 2026

Briana’s Brain Tumor My sister Briana was 30 years old, stepping into one of the most beautiful moments of her life, becoming a mother. She had just brought her daughter into the world, a moment that should have been filled only with joy, love, and new beginnings. But just one day later, everything changed. She was diagnosed with […] May 20, 2026

Strides for Ed’s Head My husband, Ed, was a talented radio producer and communications professor, an involved community member, and a beloved husband and father. He had a vibrant personality, a great sense of humor, loved cooking, and was never without a cup of coffee. At the end of July 2024, after two weeks of pressure headaches following a […] May 20, 2026