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 [email protected]
Seeing Beyond MRI: The Promise of LAT1-Targeted PET Imaging for Glioma
When facing a diagnosis of glioma or glioblastoma (GBM), every scan, symptom and decision can feel deeply personal. Patients and families quickly learn how much depends on imaging — it […]
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NX Development Corp. Resumes U.S. Distribution of Gleolan® (aminolevulinic acid HCl) for Fluorescence-Guided Neurosurgery
NX Development Corp (“NXDC”) is pleased to announce that it is once again distributing Gleolan® (aminolevulinic acid HCl) in the United States, supporting neurosurgeons in fluorescence-guided surgery for patients with […]
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Fighting Glioblastoma with My Tribe
by Erika Butler My life changed forever on July 3, 2023, when I had a seizure and crashed into a house. The police assumed I was drunk, but a CT […]
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Fuel the Fight, Fund the Future.
When Beth Kassab first attended the ABTA’s National Conference in 2023, she was admittedly hesitant. Beth lost her husband to a brain tumor in 2022, after 16 years of marriage […]
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When “How Are You?” Feels Impossible to Answer
By Mary Kate O’Donnell “How are you?” It’s the question that starts nearly every conversation. Most people answer on autopilot—“Good, good… I’m doing well!” “Things are great. How are you?” […]
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The Hidden Consequences of a Childhood Brain Tumor: A Survivor’s Journey
by Adam Bunnell When I was a child, I was diagnosed with a glioma near the fourth ventricle of my brain, adjacent to the cerebellum. The tumor was surgically removed, […]
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A Life of Service, Love, and Strength: Kate’s Journey with Glioblastoma
by Pat Jones My wife, Kate Straub-Jones, lived a life of dedication and purpose. We both served in the U.S. Navy and continued to work as government civilians after retirement. […]
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12 year glioblastoma survivor
by Katie Kaiser Smith In 2012, I was a mom to a one-year-old baby girl and a six-year-old son. Life was busy and beautiful, full of the little joys and […]
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Running for More Than a Finish Line: Jason Noel and Alex Urquhart Join Team ABTA for the Berlin Marathon
This fall, two runners—Jason Noel and Alex Urquhart will lace up their shoes and take their marks for a marathon that’s about more than personal achievement. They’ll be representing Team […]
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Redefining What’s Possible: Jason Tharp’s Journey with Glioblastoma
When Jason Tharp was diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM)—an aggressive and unforgiving form of brain cancer—his doctors gave him seven months to live. That was four years ago. Today, he’s still […]
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Finding My Way Back Home
I have a question and see if this has ever applied to you: Have you ever felt that you’ve failed at something? I mean, failed so badly on every level
#fightlikeagirl
I’ve lived with anaplastic brain tumor since January 2014. So no surgery to remove it; only chemotherapy and radiation and a pause for sinus wall surgery. After that, my tumor
Just a Sinus Infection!
I once went to the doctor for an ear ache. The doctor said you don’t have an ear ache. It looks like a sinus infection. Here take this antibiotic. Not