NAHS junior overcomes supposedly terminal brain cancer

by

This is my story of becoming a brain cancer survivor.

I rebelled when I heard the word “terminal.” When someone said I might only have a few

months left to live, I said, “No, I am not going to die from this.”

It was Sept. 11, 2013. I was in the hospital waiting for the results of my MRI. If there was ever a time to pray, it was then. I heard the words “brain tumor with possibly 9-18 months to live.” It was inoperable and incurable, with a zero percent chance of survival. The tumor, the size of a golf ball, was in the worst spot on my brain stem. I’d been having problems with my hearing, sight and balance. Now I knew why.

I lay in my hospital bed and told my devastated parents not to worry because I wasn’t going to die from this: This journey is going to have a great ending. This tumor is not going to take away my dreams of the future. And I will live each day to the fullest.

When I began radiation and chemotherapy, I almost died because my body could not handle the harsh side effects. I was given a much lower dose of chemotherapy and could tolerate it without ending up spending days in the hospital after each round. Months passed, and my tumor started to change. It was dying from the inside out.

I started to get better. My body was getting stronger. My symptoms were less severe. I worked hard during my therapy sessions. I was able to attend school every day instead of having home instruction. I could play the piano again. I switched to sports physical therapy to prepare for field hockey with my high school team in the fall. I was released from palliative/hospice care, and I no longer needed occupational therapy.

My dad has sold my wheelchair, and my mom has loosened her grip of constant care by my side. I have beaten my once-terminal illness. The tumor is killing itself. It has changed from being inoperable and incurable. I am going to live. I have a purpose.

My purpose is to make a difference in the world of pediatric cancer. I want to find a way to

stop cancer cells from forming. Once I finish high school, I want to find a way to stop children from going through the horrible suffering that pediatric cancer can cause.

I believe that life is what you make of it. I could have given up, but every time I see the beautiful children in the waiting room at the hospital, I feel so bad knowing exactly what they are feeling. It is unacceptable. I have a deep passion in my soul, and I want to help them. There is a reason I am on this journey. So many good things have happened to me along the way.

The New Albany community has embraced me throughout my journey. I have been given endless support in numerous creative ways. I have always believed I would be healed, and my faith has led the way. Cancer turned out to not be about death. Cancer led me to a life of faith, which will lead me to finding a way to end the suffering.

My journey began with a terminal diagnosis from the first neurosurgeon that I saw. Here I am,

with a different plan from my current neurosurgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Leonard, who can, someday, if the tumor starts growing, operate and make me cancer-free. The tumor has changed enough, and he showed me how he would remove every bit of cancer from my brain. After meeting with him in January, we made a deal. If the tumor grows, I will let him take it all out. But for now, I can live a normal, healthy life because the tumor is stable and not causing any debilitating symptoms.

And so my journey continues, Dr. Leonard is there if I need him. I no longer have chemotherapy. I’m 16, a junior in high school, playing field hockey. Soon I’ll be driving a car. I just recently participated in Relay for Life, a walk for the American Cancer Society. I tried to walk 18 hours. I was able to complete eight hours, sometimes walking in the pouring rain, and went home at 2 a.m. to come back and finish the walk in the morning. The New Albany/Gahanna teams combined raised over $60,000.

My mom has written a book about my journey. She says I’m living an inspirational life. I’ve spent nearly two years fighting cancer. I learned the power of having faith and being positive. The more positive I was, the more good came into my path. It came from many amazing experiences with people, with many of them praying for a healing. All that remains is a cyst in my head, and I am able to live a full life.

Through this journey I learned about strength as well as what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. I live life with courage and appreciation. My life has meaning and a purpose.

Related Stories

NAHS student shares Crohn’s Disease experience

Columbus Academy student shares cancer survival story

Breast cancer survivors on what they wish they knew when diagnosed

Victoria Boals is a student at New Albany High School. Feedback welcome at ssole@cityscenemediagroup.com.