Share Your Story
Your story is powerful and can help raise awareness and support for others facing similar challenges. By sharing your experience, you bring hope to others and show them that they are not alone.
Story submissions should be fewer than 1,000 words. We encourage you to focus on how having a brain tumor has impacted your life or what you want others to understand about brain tumors. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
Patient & Caregiver Stories
Story Submissions Disclaimer
The stories featured on this page are submitted by patients, caregivers, and families who have chosen to share their personal experiences. These stories reflect the individual perspectives and opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
The ABTA does not independently verify the details of these stories and cannot guarantee their accuracy or completeness. The information shared in these stories should not be considered as medical advice or a substitute for professional consultation with qualified healthcare providers.
By reading or submitting content to this page, you acknowledge and agree that the ABTA is not responsible for any decisions or actions taken based on the information provided in these stories.
If you have concerns about any content on this page, please contact us at info@abta.org
Healing Beyond Survival: My Journey with an Invisible Brain Injury
By Adam Bunnell When I was a young child, I had brain surgery to remove a tumor near my cerebellum. That part of the brain helps with balance, coordination, and […]
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From Caregiver to Advocate: How an ABTA Employee’s Personal Journey Fuels Her Work
By Leah Bobal, a long-time Caregiver, Advocate and ABTA staff member. Follow @llovab on Instagram or @llova on Bluesky. Advocacy isn’t just my job—it’s personal. My work at the American […]
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Smiling When It Hurts: A Brain Tumor Survivor’s Journey and the Power of Advocacy
By Maggie Neely, long-term Meningioma Survivor and Advocate In 1999, when I was just 15 years old, I started experiencing constant headaches. Then came a grand mal seizure that changed […]
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Dr. Soma Sengupta: A Life Devoted to Brain Tumor Advocacy, Research and Hope
Dr. Soma Sengupta is a leading expert in neuro-oncology, serving as Clinical Professor of Neurology and Division Chief, while also driving research and clinical trials that advance care for patients […]
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Driven by Hope: Courtney and Wes Griffith Turn a Brain Tumor Diagnosis into Advocacy and Action
By Wes and Courtney Griffith, Astrocytoma Survivor and Caregiver turned advocates In November 2022, everything changed when my wife, Courtney, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It all started subtly—she […]
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Beth Kassab: Finding Connection After a Brain Tumor Diagnosis
Beth Kassab didn’t know what to expect when she signed up to volunteer at the ABTA’s National Conference. As a brain tumor survivor, former caregiver, and now a member of […]
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Giving Back with Your Time and Energy
Meet one American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) volunteer who is determined to change the trajectory for families facing the devastating diagnosis of a brain tumor. Learn how you can get […]
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Avid Runner Springs into Action After Glioblastoma Diagnosis
It’s spring—a time to rejuvenate, refresh and take action. Learn how one runner’s glioblastoma diagnosis became the catalyst for resilience, hope and perseverance. A Shocking Wake-Up Call Nicole Schalmo’s brain […]
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Advancing Treatment Options for Primary CNS Lymphoma
TakeAim Lymphoma – Now Enrolling ** Sponsored by Curis. This content is not an endorsement from the ABTA.** Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL) Curis is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing […]
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Out of the Ashes: Undergoing Chemoradiation for Glioblastoma Treatment during the Devastating Pacific Palisades Fire in Southern California
** Sponsored by Pacific Neuroscience Institute (PNI). This content is not an endorsement from the ABTA.** By Emmaline Mauitson, MPAP, PA-C James, 75, was vacationing in Hawaii with his wife […]
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New Life
By: Kelsie Barry, Astrocytoma Survivor The morning I woke up in my new city of Las Vegas, I felt like I didn’t sleep for more than a couple of minutes.
Be Like Brad
By: Tia Mazzone, Caregiver Brad’s journey is an extraordinary one. In October 2022 he started having headaches mid-month. Due to the weather being smokey and dry conditions, his wife, Tia
Esther’s Story
October 3, 2021. My dear precious mother, Esther Stone, suffered a seizure which resulted in a Glioblastoma diagnosis. That’s the day my world shattered. Esther’s seizure happened after the regular
