“July 21, 2004 was a date that changed my life forever – I was diagnosed with a 3 cm. brain tumor; it was a meningioma and benign. I had severe headaches, my balance was unsteady and I had problems with depth perception – my visit to the ER diagnosed me with something I had never considered as a possibility. I had a craniotomy on August 31st and they successfully removed the entire tumor and all of my hair. I am very fortunate, my chance of recurrence is about 20%, the headaches are less intense and frequent, and I have all my hair.”

“Being diagnosed with a brain tumor seven years ago was not the end but the beginning of a greater journey. There have been many challenges, but I LiveStrong and have Hope. Bicycling 10,000 miles since diagnosis (including from Los Angeles to Washington DC last year) defines me, not cancer. Through surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and my current biologic treatment clinical trial, I have worked to be a survivor, not a victim.”

“I was diagnosed as a college freshman in October 2003 with a very large, but benign tumor in my brain stem, a jugular foramen schwannoma. I had lost much of my hearing in my right ear. The support from friends and family was amazing as I flew to California where surgery was very successful. My hearing was even restored! Currently I am a college student at Northwestern College in St. Paul, where I am studying English as a Second Language education.”

“Our boys were 3, 6, and 9 when we received the diagnosis that I had a grade 3 astrocytoma in an inoperable area of my brain. I was given radiation and chemotherapy and a 20% chance of being alive and disease free in 5 years. Those boys are now 23, 26, and 29, and the MRI’s show no remaining tumor only slight damage from the radiation. I’m so thankful to the doctors and to the Lord for the healing in this, my second bout with cancer.”