Team Smiley Strong is excited to be participating in our second New England Brain Tumor Walk! 

On December 7, 2021, I found myself with what I thought was a terrible migraine. I wound up at the ER at the insistence of my good friend who also happened to be a Neuro nurse. Come to find out, what I thought was a migraine was a nearly 7cm tumor pressing against my brain and skull. On December 10, a gross total resection of this tumor was performed at Mass General Hospital and I received the unfortunate news that it was malignant. Ten days later pathology reported that it was a Grade 4 Anaplastic Astrocytoma, IDH mutant.

Since my diagnosis, I have completed 6 weeks of concurrent radiation and chemotherapy. As of April 7, I have completed 12 cycles (a full year!) of chemotherapy and am back to living life to the fullest. While regrowth is an inevitability, I'm working to raise money, awareness and support for the National Brain Tumor Society so that we can find a cure and stop this disease in its tracks.

I need your help in this fight. National Brain Tumor Society will not rest until a cure exists - but more needs to be done. Please join in my effort!