Written by Erin Gaffney

I’ve been fortunate to serve as an ambassador for several organizations.  I joined the Executive Leadership Committee for the American Heart Association to raise awareness for heart disease.  I participated in multiple 5Ks and even ran a marathon to raise money for breast cancer.  These were all causes I was familiar with and proud to support; but the news I was about to receive on February 12, 2024, took me down a path to advocate for something much less talked about & much more personal.

On Super Bowl Sunday I suffered a seizure.  Luckily, my husband, David was home and immediately jumped into action.  Within minutes, I was transported by ambulance to the hospital where they did a CT scan and later, an MRI, not to mention a myriad of other tests.  The thought that something could be seriously wrong had honestly never entered my mind.  The nurses began asking me about my family history of seizures and brain tumors, both assuming I had already been given the fateful news.  When I questioned why they would ask me about brain tumors, they flashed looks of concern at each other.  I was in utter disbelief when they confirmed that yes, I did indeed have a brain tumor and yes, they believed it was cancer.

I called all my family, friends, and coworkers, making sure I took care as I delivered my news.  I was worried about their reactions, so I made sure I remained calm as I walked each one of them through my diagnosis.  I never experienced the emotional reaction that everyone expected me to.  I remained positive and focused, never shedding a single tear.  I wondered if I was in shock or just numb to the thought of having brain cancer.  Looking back, I think I knew that I had no control over my situation.  I had to go forward with the surgery and the outcome rested completely in God’s hands.      

My friend, Bridget, urged me to get a second opinion, which I did within a week. Although the diagnosis was the same, I felt more comfortable with this Neurosurgeon, Dr Kim.  He believed I had a Level 2 Oligodendroglioma that had been growing for years, but we would not know for sure until it was surgically removed and sent to pathology.  He also commented on my calm demeanor, which he said made me an ideal candidate to have a portion of the surgery performed while I was awake!  This would ensure my speech & mobility were minimally impacted.  I agreed and exactly 2 weeks later, I was scheduled for an awake craniotomy. 

The 9-hour surgery was a success; they were able to remove 85% of my tumor.  My word recollection was heavily impacted, but I worked hard on correcting it with a speech therapist and started seeing positive results in a few months.  When Dr. Kim called with the pathology results, we received the news we were praying for:  it was not terminal.  In that moment, two things happened:  1) I finally broke down; a wave of emotion washed over me, and I started uncontrollably crying tears of joy.  This news confirmed I had a chance to fight, which I knew meant I could win and, 2) I knew I wanted to find a way to help other patients who were given less optimistic prognoses.

Even with most of the tumor removed, I still needed to complete thirty radiation treatments, followed by twelve rounds of chemotherapy.  It would still be a long, difficult road to recovery, but in my mind that was ok because I had faith that I will be ok.  My focus shifted and I started thinking about other patients.  How hard it must be for their families, friends & caregivers.  I read a lot about Glioblastomas and their survival rates, but I wanted to learn more.  I declared this as my newest passion project, and that is when I discovered The Head for the Cure Foundation.  HFTC was hosting a 5K one week after I was scheduled to finish radiation.  What a way to commemorate completing my treatments!  I got to work organizing a team of coworkers and friends.  Although I did not have the energy to walk the entire 5K, I crossed the finish line with my husband by my side.    

Many people began reaching out sharing stories, similar to mine.  One was my coworker named Mary.  From the very beginning, she was so kind in offering support that she knew I needed.  She had been through radiation recently and told me what to expect.  I learned today that Mary lost her 5-year cancer battle at the age of just 31.  I still have 9 rounds of chemotherapy left, but I will continue to fight like Mary did.  I feel honored to serve as an ambassador for Head for the Cure Foundation, and although I never thought I would be a part it, here I am, a proud member of the Brain Tumor Community!  The support I have received throughout my journey has been nothing short of amazing.  I can only hope to return the favor through my work as an ambassador.