Brain Tumor Awareness Month: Why I Go Gray in May
May is a really meaningful month for me and my family because it is Brain Tumor Awareness Month. Up until 4 years ago, brain tumors weren’t even on my radar, not until it became incredibly personal when my Dad was diagnosed with Glioblastoma in January 2017. That’s often how it works, isn’t it? Until something affects you or someone you love, we often don’t pay much attention to the awful diseases and illnesses that are all around us. My hope is to share my Dad’s story and bring more awareness to brain tumor research and treatments so that we can find a cure!
My Dad was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma at the age of 59 after suffering from a seizure while driving home one afternoon. He had never had seizures before so this was truly out of the blue. He was a healthy and active outdoorsman, enjoying hiking, fishing, and golfing whenever he had the opportunity. He was also a big foodie and loved going out to dinner with my mom, their friends, and traveling! His diagnosis truly came as a shock to our entire family and it opened my eyes to how aggressive brain tumors are and all of the side effects that they bring. Glioblastoma is the most aggressive of all brain tumors and the median survival rate is just 8 months. My Dad survived 3 years after his diagnosis by the Grace of God and underwent 3 brain surgeries, 2 rounds of radiation, and various forms of medication/chemotherapy to treat his recurring brain tumor. Did you know that treatment for brain tumors hasn’t significantly improved in the last 30 years? The standard approach to treatment is resection (tumor removal via surgery), radiation, and chemotherapy, but it’s not always successful.
There is a lot of gray area surrounding brain tumors, like what causes them, preventing them, and which treatments are optimal for each patient’s unique situation. That’s why I #GoGrayinMay and am wearing a gray t-shirt in these photos: to continue to raise awareness and honor my Dad’s legacy and how he fought with strength, grace, and humility all throughout his brain cancer journey. In the month of May, Freddy and I give our entire monthly tithe to support brain cancer research and the wonderful organizations that touched my Dad’s life in the most meaningful ways. He was a patient at Barrow Neurological Center which provided him wonderful treatment options that played a significant role in his quality of life. TGen was another organization that was so wonderful in running tests on his tumors to help provide critical information that aided his medical team in making the best decisions.
I will never stop advocating for brain tumor research and treatments, just like I will never stop missing my sweet, amazing Dad 💙 It’s still hard to believe that he’s gone most days, but my heart is filled with gladness and joy knowing he’s home in Heaven with Jesus. I eagerly await the day that I’ll be reunited with him and can give him the biggest hug ever! If you feel so led to donate to this cause, the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and TGen are great places to start. Thank you for reading!
In loving memory of my Dad, Philip LeFrancois.