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In Sickness and in Health

Published on June 16, 2026 in Glioblastoma, Share Your Story

Guest Author: Shelly I. in Indiana

Who imagines on their wedding day that the words “in sickness” could possibly mean all that follows a glioblastoma (GBM) diagnosis? In our young adult dreams, we imagine caring for each other “in sickness,” which may mean nursing one another through the flu. Maybe bronchitis or pneumonia. 

A woman and man stand in front of a mantle with roses behind them. They're each wearing shirts that read, "My God is Bigger Than Glioblastoma."

No one ever imagines that their future will hold cancer. Let alone brain cancer. Let alone “terminal” brain cancer. I don’t take the word terminal lightly. I know the odds of survival. But we are not there. I should add “yet” to the end of that last sentence, but that removes hope. We still have hope. He is still here. 

However, GBM has tested our “in sickness” limits. GBM really does change everything. One day, everything is fine. Then one day, everything really does change. Everything. 

After March 8, 2025, we entered the X games of fulfilling our vows. Simple things we have always unintentionally taken for granted now require extra care and intention. The tumor itself is horrifying.  Some days, the paperwork and managing the logistics of appointments are even more horrifying. 

Despite all of the horrifying events of the past 15 months, we still have hope. Hope for more time. Hope for no progression.  Even hope for healing. A wise doctor told me, “He just needs to stay alive long enough for just the right breakthrough.” Will he? Maybe. Hopefully. Our vows are still strong, and so is our sense of hope. Despite it all, we have hope. Despite it all, we will continue to be there for each other “in sickness and in health.”

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Glioblastoma Awareness Day

Each year on the third Wednesday in July, we gather to amplify the voices, experiences, and urgent needs of everyone living with glioblastoma, one of the most complex, treatment-resistant, and deadliest types of cancer.

Thanks to recent progress — the first new brain tumor drug approvals in decades — and more promising breakthroughs nearing the horizon, there is more hope than ever before for better treatments and a cure. For these hopes to be realized, breakthroughs can’t wait: we must keep the momentum going, and we need your help to do so. For everyone with a glioblastoma diagnosis, it’s time for a better chance.

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Opinions expressed within this story belong solely to the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of the National Brain Tumor Society.