#gograyinmay
This is an article I wrote for the Windham Eagle Newspaper.
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Go Gray in May for Brain Cancer
May is the month for celebrating moms on Mother’s Day and on Memorial Day we honor those who died in active military service. It is my hope to bring more awareness to a cause I am passionate about; brain cancer.
My daughter, Jessica Heath, passed away in January at the age of 34. She battled brain cancer twice. Jessica was an advocate for theNational Brain Tumor Society. She went to Washington D.C. to further support funding for more research and treatment options. It is too late for her to benefit from either of these. Jessica did make it past the 5-year survival rate estimated for 36% of women diagnosed. It was just after the 5 year mark when her tumor returned.
It is estimated that over 16,000 people will die from brain cancer in 2019. The most common brain tumors in adults are:
Meningiomas which make up about 37% of primary brain tumors
Gliomas which make up 81% of malignant brain tumors and include astrocytomas and glioblastomas
There has been little change in treatment options in the past 30 years. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are the most common treatments for brain tumors depending on their type and grade (severity measured by 1, 2, 3 or 4). Not all brain tumors are malignant (deadly). A lot depends on the location within the brain. Some non-malignant brain tumors do affect long term quality of life if they produce deficits in the patient’s ability to care for themselves.
May is Brain Tumor/Cancer Awareness month. Like October’s Breast Cancer Pink ribbon, I hope that more people will share information about the Gray ribbon and ultimately find a cure for brain cancer.