Stories

Shorts & Flip Flops My husband had just retired in May 2017. We had moved from the suburbs to our place in the city, and he started having dull headaches every day. His doctor attributed it to the stress of all the changes…. Retirement, a move, and dealing with some family issues (brother with early-onset dementia and ex-mother-in-law with […] February 7, 2025

Dj’s Battle Our son, Dj, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in March 2023. Hearing the words come out of the doctor’s mouth was devastating, numbing, and traumatizing all at once. Knowing we had limited time with our son was an unbearable pain.  We are all so much stronger than we could ever imagine. He went through so much […] February 7, 2025

For My Daughter Roxanne My daughter Roxanne passed away on January 25, 2024, from glioblastoma. She was only 34. She was diagnosed in May 2023. My precious daughter was so courageous and strong with her nine-month battle. I want awareness for early detection and for anyone dealing without medical insurance not to worry but to seek help. Research for […] February 7, 2025

Pediatric Brain Cancer Survivorship: A Never-Ending Journey I took a purple marker from the radiation oncology nurse and looked at the white square of the wall in front of me. “Thank you for everything!” I wrote, topping off my picture with a flower and a sun and, with that, marking an end to one of the first hurdles of my cancer journey. […] February 7, 2025

I Named Her Hortencia In 2019, I found out I had a brain tumor the size of a tangerine. I named it Hortencia. Three weeks later, I had an 8-hour craniotomy for a resection of a giant meningioma. I had fifty staples and a stay in the ICU. I have a metal plate and four screws in my skull […] February 7, 2025