Tag Archives: Brain tumour community

International Day of the Family

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Family is an integral part of life. Each member of a family shares the joy of holidays, major milestones, and successes. Of course, family members endure the difficult times together too.

A brain tumour diagnosis affects an entire family, and can be a difficult journey for everyone involved. However, these tough times can often strengthen and maintain a family’s relationship. Through support and love, families make the journey of a brain tumour one of strength and courage.

When you let your family know how you feel (emotionally or physically), they will be able to better offer the support you need. Further, family members can offer words of encouragement, share the pain, and help to manage stress. Ultimately, throughout the journey of a brain tumour, the love of a family can help reduce the difficulty.

On this International Day of the Family we salute all families facing the journey with a brain tumour and say ‘Thank You’ to everyone supporting and caring for a loved one facing this disease.

Jenny’s Story – Moving Forward

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The first episode came on November 2010.  An overall numbness came over my right arm starting at the shoulder, shot down my arm, ending with a tingling sensation in my fingertips.  I felt a moment of disorientation and as quickly it came, it left.  This happened within a span of seconds, easily I dismissed this as stress.  Life was busy with a full household of 3 adults, 2 seniors and 2 children under the age of 5 years old. In addition to my home life, I lived an equally hectic work life as a Programs Assistant helping to manage an Executive’s calendar for a non-profit organization.  Yes, life was busy but this was a lifestyle I was so accustomed to. Read the rest of Jenny’s story…

 

Aleksandra’s Story:

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Aleksandra is from Burlington Ontario…

Hi to all of you my dear friends!

I been diagnosed with epidermoid brain cyst/tumor close to my basilar artery and I want to share my story with the hope that I may help somebody  – and we can together change the future.

I had been having a low-grade fever for more than 6 years and “flu flare” every 2-3 months. I had been to between 30-40 doctors in Burlington but all of them told me same story, “you have stress and anxiety.”  I tried to explain my other symptoms but nobody was really interested in hearing my story.  So yes, I do have anxiety and severe depression but this was not a reason for those symptoms.

Read the rest of Aleksandra’s Story…

Diane M’s Story

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Diane is from Thornhill, Ontario

I have had the same recurring tumour (grade 2/ non-malignant astrocytoma) removed three times now.

My initial symptoms were grand mal seizures. I had my first tumour removed in 1986. I was 32 years old with two young children. I had radiation. I went back to work, as an elementary teacher, four years later.

I was left with a focal seizure that I dismissed, to others, as a nervous twitch. To my surprise 20 years later, it returned. I had it out immediately. Apparently I was awake during surgery but I don’t remember that!

Read the rest of Diane’s story…

Mike’s Story

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In the spirit of Brain Tumour Awareness Month’s ‘Celebrating Strength’ theme, Mike reached out and bravely shared a bit of his story. Thanks Mike!

Mike’s Story

When I was 21 I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. It overwhelmed me and crushed my spirit…so I drank the next ten years of my life away.

Then one day, I decided it was time to quit feeling sorry for myself and about three months after that I met my wife, Cherie,who has been my rock through it all.

On Christmas Day the year of 2000, I had a seizure and lost my driver’s license which was my livelihood. And I was diagnosed again…the tumor had grown.

We had it removed and then went through eight treatments of chemotherapy which felt like it would never end – but finally it did. I regained my strength and am happy to feel useful and productive again.

I hope this provides someone with some hope that they can have a ‘normal’ life again!!

Thank you for letting me share my story.

Dustin Thompson – “My Hero”

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Dustin

Dustin was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer in July 2011 at the age of 25.  Dustin was the bravest and strongest person that we know; he fought a very hard battle which ended on June 11, 2012 at the age of 26 years.

Dustin was a very loving and caring person.  Even when fighting this disease, he always cared about everyone else and never complained about anything in life.

Dustin was a Heavy Duty Mechanic and Volunteer Firefighter.  He was married for one year when finding out he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer.

Read the rest of Dustin’s story here

Friend Friday: Shannon’s View from Here

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It’s a day late but it’s still a Friend Friday post! We are lucky to be sharing Shannon’s View from Here today.

Shannon is a mother to two terrific girls and has been married for 10 years. She works for a Canadian airline and loves to travel and loves to do all kinds of fun things with her family. She says brain tumours are a cause “close to my brain!” So she posted about Brain Tumour Awareness Month for all her readers to see and read.

Thanks Shannon!

Do you know about a blog from a brain tumour patient, survivor or family member that we should spotlight? Send us an email to mwinkler@braintumour.ca to share today.

 

Tyler’s Story, shared by his mom Sarah

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Tyler today

Today, Tyler is a healthy, thriving 7 year old. He has a few lingering issues related to his tumour, but otherwise is doing very well.

Tyler is believed to have been born with his brain stem tumour. Unfortunately, despite MANY non-textbook symptoms (ie chronic cough, sensitive gag reflex…etc), it took Tyler’s doctors nearly 3.5 years to diagnose Tyler’s tumour. As his parents, we knew something was wrong very early on, but we were new parents and his pediatrician tended to write off every symptom he developed as being nothing significant, i.e. his bent pinkie was simply clinodactyly, but we now know it is due to nerve issues at the level of the brain stem.

Read Tyler’s entire story here.

Sharon’s Story

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I am a married mother of four, ages 12, 10, 8, and 3. Early in the spring of 2011, I began to have headaches.  Initially, they started mild, and most often times, ibuprofen would help to alleviate their symptoms.  As the weeks progressed, they began to get more debilitating; to the point I was not able to hold my head up during an “episode”.

Read the rest of Sharon’s story here.