We are looking ahead and planning ahead and that feels good. We will be participating in The Race for Hope - DC on May 3rd 2009 and are excited for the opportunity. It is energizing, emotional, and rewarding to be a part of an event that is structured to raise money for research of better treatments and ultimately a cure. Being there last year was uplifting and inspiring. This year we want to do more. More with our team, more with our fundraising efforts, and more with the goal of raising awareness for brain tumors and brain cancer.
We invite everyone interested to join our team and walk/run with us on May 3rd. For those friends running remember there is one rule - After running to the finish line you must walk back to those of us who will be walking and finish the race with us. We will also be holding a yard sale to raise money and awareness. We have a team of great friends who are working to plan an successful and profitable sale. We are also contemplating some additional fundraising ideas to be conducted after the race as donations will be accepted until Sept. 30th 2009.
It is often difficult to ask people for support - monetary and/or emotional, but we will - because of the realization that it is necessary to find a cure. We feel so thankful to have been supported by so many and believe that we have done well because of it. For every person who sends us positive energy we THANK YOU! You are our inspiration to do better and to be better.
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My Condition - Glioblastoma Multiforme (or GBM)
I was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). This condition has four different grades (I - IV). My tumor is a grade IV GBM. This is the most aggressive GBM tumor. I have included a little section of The Essential Guide to BRAIN TUMORS below to describe the condition more completely.
Astrocytoma
An astrocytoma develops from star-shaped glial cells (astrocytes) that support nerve cells. These tumors can be located anywhere in the brain, but the most common location is in the frontal lobe. Astrocytomas are the most common primary CNS tumor.
The physician, usually the neurosurgeon or neurooncologist, will discuss the type and location of an astrocytoma. The pathologist will assign it a grade. Astrocytomas are generally classified as low or high grade. Low-grade astrocytomas (grades I and II) are slow growing. High-grade astrocytomas (grades III and IV) grow more quickly. The main tumor type is listed for each grade. There are additional tumor types in each of these grades.
The WHO classification divides astrocytomas into four grades:
- Grade I Pilocytic Astrocytoma
- Grade II Low-Grade Astrocytoma
- Grade III Anaplastic Astrocytoma
- Grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme (or GBM)
Characteristics
The characteristics of an astrocytoma vary depending on the tumor’s grade and location. Most people are functioning normally when diagnosed with a low-grade astrocytoma. Symptoms tend to be subtle and may take one to two years to diagnose. This is because the brain can often adapt to a slow-growing tumor for a period of time. Highgrade tumors may present with changes that are sudden and dramatic.
Symptoms
- Headaches
- Seizures or convulsions
- Difficulty thinking or speaking
- Behavioral or cognitive changes (related to thinking, reasoning, and memory)
- Weakness or paralysis in one part or one side of the body
- Loss of balance
- Vision changes
- Nausea or vomiting
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