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Tag: brain tumor

  • Lauren Hill Has Cancer, Makes The Most Of Time She Has Left

    A teenager who was diagnosed with a rare and deadly cancer about a year ago is directing her energies at raising funds and awareness of her disease. Doctors last year initially told 19-year-old Lauren Hill that she had a year to live, and the teen is making the most of her time by playing on her basketball team to spread awareness of the form of brain cancer she has, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.

    Despite the fact that Hill has a brain tumor the size of a lemon that is growing every day, she was determined to play for her college basketball team from Mount St. Joseph University. “I wanted to wear that jersey and feel like a superhero again because that’s what I feel when I put on the jersey and that number,” said Hill.

    — 10 News (@WTSP10News) October 26, 2014

    Her first game with Mount St. Joseph is coming up on November 2, when her team will go up against Hiram College at Xavier University’s Cintas Center. The game was moved from later in November by the NCAA in order to give Hill a chance to join it, before her disease can take her life. Xavier University reportedly offered its 10,000-seater arena so more people could attend the game, and tickets were sold out in less than a day.

    “I’m spreading awareness on a level that’s never been spread before. I really hope it’s going to bring a change to the world. Being able to have this opportunity is all I’ve wanted and prayed for,” said Hill.

    Hill is also trying to spread awareness about pediatric cancer in the hopes that donations will fund research that will give others a chance to beat the disease. Many have commended her courage to continue fighting with such little time left, including Cincinnati Bengals player Devon Still, whose 4-year-old daughter has pediatric cancer and who has worked with his team to raise $1 million for pediatric cancer treatment.

    “She understands her purpose. In her 19 years of being here on Earth, she’s done a lot more than a lot of older people have done,” said Still of Hill.

  • Brittany Maynard Has Chosen The Day She Will Die

    Brittany Maynard Has Chosen The Day She Will Die

    Brittany Maynard has always been a very active woman, participating in marathons, climbing mountains, and traveling the world. However, since she found out that she has stage four glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor, her life has had to slow way down.

    Rather than die a slow and painful death, Maynard has decided that she will decide how and when she will die, doing it on her own terms not her tumor’s.

    On November 1, Brittany will end her own life with drugs prescribed to her by her doctor. However, she wants it to be known that she is not committing suicide. There is no cure for her disease and she does not want to suffer. She wants to be able to die with dignity.

    “There is not a cell in my body that is suicidal or that wants to die,” she told People. “I want to live. I wish there was a cure for my disease but there’s not.”

    “My glioblastoma is going to kill me, and that’s out of my control,” she said. “I’ve discussed with many experts how I would die from it, and it’s a terrible, terrible way to die. Being able to choose to go with dignity is less terrifying.”

    On Monday, Maynard released a video campaign with the group Compassion & Choices that advocated for people who want to die with dignity. The video includes interviews with Brittany, her husband, and her mother. She says they have all gone through a very difficult cycle to come to accept Brittany’s decision, but they are now fully supportive.

    “My entire family has gone through a cycle of devastation,” she continued. “I’m an only child – this is going to make tears come to my eyes. For my mother, it’s really difficult, and for my husband as well, but they’ve all supported me because they’ve stood in hospital rooms and heard what would happen to me.”

    After discovering that Brittany only had a short time to live, Brittany’s entire family uprooted their lives and moved to Portland, Oregon so that she would be eligible for Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act,

    “The amount of sacrifice and change my family had to go through in order to get me to legal access to death with dignity – changing our residency, establishing a team of doctors, having a place to live – was profound,” she said.

    Brittany is spending what time she has left to advocate for those people who do not have a choice like she does. “I believe this choice is ethical, and what makes it ethical is it is a choice,” she added. “The patient can change their mind right up to the last minute. I feel very protected here in Oregon.”

    To read Brittany’s full story click here.

  • Olivia Wise, Who Covered Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Dies

    Olivia Wise, the girl known for her cover of Katy Perry’s hit single, Roar, passed away on Monday, November 25, leaving thousands of fans and her family mourning a great loss.

    “She died peacefully in her home surrounded by the extraordinary love of her family,” a family statement sent to CNN said.

    Olivia was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of brain cancer in January 2012. She took the news that she had an inoperable brain tumor very well and was determined to not let it kill her spirit.

    “Every day, she wished for a cure, and rarely succumbed to negative thoughts,” Olivia’s mom said. “To tell the truth, her diagnosis didn’t change her personality. It only enhanced it. She took the news in a mature, reasonable, responsible way. … Even in the most difficult moments, she managed to bring laughter and friendship to all that were caring for her.”

    In September, after learning that there were no more treatments available, Olivia had a wish to record Roar in a professional studio. Her wish came true and she later posted the video to YouTube. The video shows her sitting in a chair singing the lyrics to the song flawlessly. Her cover instantly went viral, and as of today, has 1,108,557 views.

    Once Perry learned of the video, she sent a message to Olivia via YouTube. “I was very moved and you sounded great,” Perry said. “I love you. A lot of people love you and that’s why your video got to me. It moved everybody that saw it.” Perry ended her video saying, “Keep roaring!”

    The Liv Wise Fund Foundations has raised $109,719 so far for brain cancer research. You can make donations to The Liv Wise Fund on Olivia’s tribute page. Olivia’s cover of the song is also available on iTunes and all proceeds will go to brain cancer research as well.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • Sheryl Crow Reveals She Has a Benign Brain Tumor

    Sheryl Crow has made public the news that she has been diagnosed as having a benign brain tumor. She tells the Las Vegas Review-Journal about making this discovery after becoming concerned about her recent memory loss.

    “I worried about my memory so much that I went and got an MRI. And I found out I have a brain tumor,” Crow told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “And I was, like, ‘See? I knew there was something wrong.’ ”

    “I haven’t really talked about it,” she said. “In November, I found out I have a brain tumor. But it’s benign, so I don’t have to worry about it. But it gives me a fit.”

    Crow got the news in November, but was reluctant to make an announcement. She admits to having some of those “fits” in public. At a concert in Florida she forgot the lyrics to “Soak Up the Sun”. At first she thought it wasn’t a problem. She had forgotten lyrics before, on rare occasions, and laughed about it with her bandmates: “I’m 50, what can I say? My brain’s gone to (expletive).”

    A doctor’s MRI revealed a meningioma, which actually forms on the lining around the brain and spinal chord. They are usually benign, but can cause complications when they grow large enough to press on the brain.

    Sheryl Crow is currently working on a stage musical of the 1982 “Diner”, with film director Barry Levinson. She is currently working on an album, but does not have a record deal, although she has said that it would be fun to get back on the radio.

    Sheryl Crow beat breast cancer in 2006, having undergone minimally invasive surgery and radiation therapy after catching it at an early stage. She has not stated whether or not she will have surgery to have the tumor removed.

    Yesterday she posted a comment on her Facebook fan page letting everyone know that she feels happy and healthy, and is unconcerned about the “non-cancerous growth”.

    “Hey everyone – please don’t worry about my ‘brain tumor’, it’s a non-cancerous growth. I know some folks can have problems with this kind of thing, but I want to assure everyone I’m OK. I’m feeling very healthy and happy, and having a great time on the road playing with my new band. I’m busy working on my next record too, which ‘m very excited about…and I’ll be on The Tony Awards this Sunday. Really appreciate everyone’s love and concern, I feel so blessed to have the support of all my fans, but I’m good – really! Love, Sheryl”