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 here. Still showing up. Still choosing life on his own terms.
A best-selling children’s author, illustrator, speaker, husband and father, Jason has transformed his diagnosis into something deeper: a mission to help others awaken to possibility, to joy and to what really matters.
Jason Tharp will share his knowledge and wisdom as the Keynote Speaker for the ABTA 2025 National Conference on September 13.
“I don’t wake up every morning to fight cancer. I wake up, splash water on my face, fist bump the mirror and say, ‘It’s good to see you.’ That’s my daily ritual. I’m choosing to live.”
And with Glioblastoma Awareness Day (July 16) fast-approaching, Jason’s story of survival, imagination and resilience is even more timely and powerful…
GBM Doesn’t Fight Fair—But Neither Does Jason
Glioblastoma accounts for nearly half of all malignant brain tumors and remains one of the most deadly cancers. The average survival rate is just 12–18 months. Treatment options are limited. Research remains underfunded.
But some people—like Jason—beat the odds. His story may be rare, but it shines a light of hope for others navigating this diagnosis.
“I’m still here. Why? Because I stopped listening to the voices that said, ‘this is impossible.’ I chose to believe in ‘maybe.’ And that maybe saved my life.”
For Jason, sharing his story isn’t about changing outcomes—it’s about changing the conversation. He believes in the power of research, awareness and collective action to drive progress for those affected by GBM.
“We all want to see the underdog win. That’s why we love Rocky movies. Because deep down, we see ourselves in those stories. That’s why we need to tell more stories like mine—because they remind people to keep swinging.”
Hope Isn’t Passive. It’s a Daily Practice.
Hope, to Jason, isn’t a vague feeling—it’s a deliberate choice.
He even turned it into a four-part framework, which you can learn more about during his ABTA 2025 National Conference keynote address. Some highlights:
· H – Hyper Awareness: “What am I thinking? What am I feeling? You can’t heal what you don’t notice.”
· O – Open Heartedness: “Do I love myself enough to do the hard stuff? Even when it sucks?”
· P – Persistence: “Every day I say no to what won’t serve me. Every day I keep going—even when I don’t want to.”
· E – Empowerment: “That’s when the miracles happen. That’s when you start to feel unstoppable.”
“Hope isn’t fluffy. Hope is gritty. Hope says, ‘Try again.’ Hope says, ‘It’s not over.’”
He’s used this mindset to carry himself through everything from radiation and seizures to near-death moments he’s still processing.
“There was this week right after a seizure where I truly thought my son would graduate on Friday and I’d die that night. But then a good friend reminded me: this was a period for my son, but a comma for me. My story isn’t over.”
A Different Kind of Medicine
Jason’s recovery hasn’t just been medical—it’s been spiritual, emotional and imaginative.
“I used to lie in the radiation machine and imagine these tiny spaceships flying into my brain—zapping the tumor cells like little helpers. And I’d just whisper, ‘Thank you.’ That was medicine too.”
He journals every day. Meditates. Visualizes his body healing. And he speaks to his late grandmother, who helped raise him.
“She made me feel normal. When I meditate now, I talk to her. I thank her. And I know she hears me. All of these things help me get through the illusions and assumptions I make up in my head. The goal is always to anchor back to the powerful creators we are in our lives.”
These moments are more than rituals—they’re anchors in a storm that most people will never fully understand.
“You can build a mountain off of maybe.”
-Jason Tharp
A Call to Action—Not a Death Sentence
Jason’s journey shows us what’s possible when we stop asking “why me” and start asking “what now?”
“People call me a miracle. But the miracle isn’t that I’m alive. The miracle is that I’m willing to stand in front of a room, gut myself open and say: ‘Here. Maybe my story helps you.’”
Glioblastoma is devastating—but it’s not unbeatable. The only way forward is together: patients, donors, families, researchers and advocates—all moving toward the same goal.
“I truly believe that impossible is optional. And if we shine a light on the people who are still here—on the outliers—we’ll start to believe that GBM doesn’t have to be the end.”
Help Us Raise $50,000 for GBM Research
This year, the ABTA needs your support to raise $50,000 for an ABTA Discovery Grant for GBM research, because stories like Jason’s shouldn’t be the exception—they should be the start of a new standard.
Give now and your GBM Awareness Day donation will be MATCHED thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. Together, let’s raise awareness and funding for GBM research, patients and their loved ones.
“What if we looked back in 10 years and said, ‘Can you believe GBM used to be a death sentence?’ That’s what we’re working toward. That’s why I keep telling my story. That’s why your donation matters.”
Ways to Take Action This Glioblastoma Awareness Day
✅ Donate now to fund critical GBM research
✅ Share this story to inspire others
✅ Honor someone you love affected by glioblastoma
Join Us This September to Hear Jason’s Full Story
You’ll have a chance to hear Jason tell his story in person—or virtually—this fall at the ABTA 2025 National Conference, taking place September 12–14 in Schaumburg, IL and online.
He’ll be delivering the keynote address on Saturday, September 13, sharing his full experience—from mindset to miracles—with humor and radical honesty.
Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, clinician, or advocate, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends. REGISTER NOW FOR THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE
