In November 2022, everything changed when my wife, Caroline, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It all started subtly—she began losing vision in the center of her field of view. We never imagined that behind it was a tumor the size of a small lime.
Caroline underwent a 9.5-hour craniotomy, and thankfully, the surgeons were able to remove the entire tumor. The pathology came back as a grade 3 astrocytoma with an IDH mutation—a tough diagnosis, but that mutation gave us a glimmer of hope.
Recovery wasn’t easy. Watching Caroline battle through fatigue, hair loss, and the emotional toll of chemotherapy and proton therapy was incredibly hard. Losing her hair, in particular, wasn’t just a physical change—it struck at her identity.
Still, she faced every challenge with strength I can only admire. As of January 2024, her MRIs show no measurable disease. Knowing that she unknowingly lived with the tumor for years, we now see life through a completely different lens.
Caroline has always believed in the power of optimism, and that mindset carried us both through.
“I have to be optimistic; it helps me heal,” she says. And I’ve seen how true that is. She’s found purpose in sharing her story, hoping to help even one person facing something similar. We’ve embraced a “no regrets” mindset—taking trips, making memories, and cherishing every moment with our family.
When Caroline was diagnosed, I dove into research. I read everything I could—survivor stories, treatment options, and forums. I wanted to understand what she was up against and how best to support her. When insurance initially denied coverage for proton therapy, I fought back. The stories I read gave me hope and taught me how to ask the right questions.
In May, I decided to take that hope on the road. I drove my racing Mini Cooper in the Tire Rack One Lap America race—over 3,000 miles across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic—to raise funds for the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).
Our car had a QR code linking directly to our fundraising page, and to our surprise, it sparked conversations with others who had faced similar diagnoses. We’re even planning to auction off the racecar, with the proceeds going straight to brain tumor research.
If you’re interested in sharing your story like Caroline and Wes, click here to share how a brain tumor has impacted your life and what you’d like others to understand about brain tumors.
