Striving to overcome the challenges of this past year, the ABTA aims to inspire our community by sharing resources and information to support the whole body – from head to toe to soul.
Our effort to further inspire, inform and engage you – whether you are a patient, caregiver, family or friend – is to help you feel hopeful, empowered and connected, all while remaining safe from this relentless pandemic.
Out of the gate, this month focuses on the strength of storytelling and sharing experiences, including how this ABTA volunteer and patient advocate inspires us through her powerful storytelling.
Survivor Finds Her Voice After Silenced by a Brain Tumor
Meet Wendy. She started her blog 2ndchance2live.com when she lost her voice recovering from brain surgery to remove an oliogodendroglioma. In February 2018, she started shining light on the many facets resulting from a brain tumor diagnosis through her blog. She’s shared stories of brain tumor patients and survivors who are helping to improve the lives of other patients and survivors. One blog post highlights her interview with survivor and financial advisor regarding the importance of financial planning. Another blog post connects her readers with a grassroots organization for services and resources founded by a fellow brain tumor survivor.
Before starting her blog, Wendy began finding her voice when she authored a children’s book about her first sign of a brain tumor, a grand mal seizure. She wrote the book from the perspective of her, then, nine-year-old son. The book went on to help raise thousands of dollars for brain tumor research and spread awareness of brain tumors.
Wendy has even shared her brain tumor journey at the virtual ABTA Patient and Family Meeting as a panelist on the ever-popular Patient & Caregiver Panel session. She’s shared the entire behind-the-scenes experience as a panelist on her blog as well.
In one of Wendy’s blog posts detailing the ups and downs of her brain tumor journey, Wendy concludes, “My husband, Luis, has said…I’ve been given a second chance to live. [So] I created www.2ndChance2Live.com to help other people going through this [journey]… I want to be an advocate for brain tumor awareness.”
This year, Wendy will also be a featured guest contributor for the ABTA’s storytelling channels, including MindMatters, the ABTA e-newsletter.
Read more about the strength of storytelling.
How to Get Inspired
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