“Lisa is a member of the Planning Committee for the ABTA’s BT5K in New York. Her experiences volunteering with the ABTA have brought true purpose and provided an outlet for her when times became difficult with her mom. Lisa was a caregiver for her mom, who was diagnosed with an Astrocytoma in 2014. As a result of volunteering with the ABTA, Lisa has felt less alone because she has opportunities to meet individuals facing similar challenges.

Unfortunately, Lisa’s mom recently passed away. However, Lisa and her sister Christine were able to share their story by speaking at the ABTA volunteer fundraising event Scaring is Caring, a Halloween party.

“After we spoke, so many people came up to us, sharing their own stories of grief and loss and thanking us for speaking out,” Lisa said. That’s when she realized that—even though she is still hurting from the loss of her mother—she can help others who have also been impacted by a brain tumor, which has been a powerful experience for her.

When asked what her advice would be to other volunteers, she stated, “Get involved in as many opportunities as possible. You just never know who you are going to meet. You can have a huge impact on someone, or they might have an impact on you.”
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