Knocked Down But Still Around

In December of 2016, while I was working as a postdoc in Canada, I started having horrible headaches that I assumed were caused by migraines, along with dizziness and nausea when I was more active. After two weeks, I went to the emergency room and got a CAT scan that confirmed I had two tumors in my brain. It was shocking, and I knew very little about brain tumors. 

After my first surgery, I was told the surgeons removed a glioblastoma tumor with an IDH-1 mutation. The second surgery came about ten days later, and a grade-3 astrocytoma was removed. I was supposed to start a tenure-track job at a university in Boston in January 2017, but this was impossible as I was better off in Canada for my first round of brain cancer treatment. 

I was tumor-free for the next 6 years until I learned that I had a fast-growing meningioma in May 2023. It grew so aggressively that the radiation treatment my oncologist planned for me was no longer an option, and I needed surgery on November 1, 2023. Luckily, this third surgery was “easier,” but I required a lot of help with daily tasks for about eight weeks. Cut to April, and the meningioma is recurrent. The news is demoralizing, but my team is on a fast treatment path, which will include stereotactic radiography surgery.

I have dedicated my time to advocating for more research on brain tumors and research funding for other cancers that I have seen loved ones suffer through. While my life with brain cancer and caring for myself is often challenging and time-consuming, I feel lucky that the disease isn’t worse. I can live my life and enjoy most of my time. While these tumors keep knocking me, I will not go down. I am still around and will use the rest of my time here to uplift others.

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