I fight brain tumors. What’s your superpower?

We are thrilled to share a post from a guest blogger today; one of our Powerful People - a pure source of inspiration and brain tumor survivor Mindy Michaels!

I was told at age 10 that my mom had breast cancer and 7 years later when she lost her battle to cancer, cancer had already become an old, familiar, yet detested presence in my life. I knew and maybe even expected that with cancer in my family that I would one day face a diagnosis and promised myself that I would live a healthy lifestyle in order to not tempt the fate of nature and genetics.  

As I started a new job and a new stage of life in Austin with my the love of my life, I never expected that initial lapses of concentration that I assumed were cedar allergies or a response to my new and changing environment were actually partial-simple seizures that warned of a growing tumor in my right frontal lobe.  I certainly would have avoided driving if I had known that these short “episodes” were, in fact, seizures and not a lack of Vitamin D as my primary care physician first guessed.

Throughout the past six months, I have—like many other survivors—endured surgeries, rehab, IVF, radiation, and the chemo.  Even after almost 6 months since my diagnosis (2/3 anaplastic oligo), I am still uncovering the tender, emotional scars that have endured from these treatments as I navigate my life while continuing treatments and medications that in the long-term help me, but in the short-term make life difficult and entirely unpredictable.

Running and yoga was my therapy prior to my diagnosis.  After all, the week before my diagnosis I had run over 3 miles with an old friend in DC and I ran my first and only half marathon in May 2014 with a growing and silent tumor.  I knew that running again would be a sign of my healing and feeling whole after my diagnosis.  I knew that if I could run again and continue to use yoga and meditation to reinvigorate my body that I would be okay.

The run has been my goal, my test for myself that I am healing, fighting and ultimately beating cancer; but my strength has been my network of support and the kindness and beauty in those that I love that continue to surround me.  I knew my family, and particularly my siblings and my Dad would come be my support, but I could have never dreamed of the outpouring of love and support I received from my extended family and friends (who I refer to as my chosen family). Moreover, the tenderness and kindness from my medical team—from  my nurses, to my doctors, to my surgical team, to receptionists at the hospitals—has continued to inspire me and leave me feeling forever grateful to them and their commitment to their patients.   One of the utmost impactful feelings of gratitude I have felt is for the network of survivors and caregivers who continue to fight their own battles as well as the battle for a cure. 

Serendipitously, the weekend I was released from Methodist Hospital in Houston, the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation was leading their conference in partnership with MD Anderson for patients and their families (a conference only held every 2 years).  I was timid to go to the conference since I didn’t want to be overwhelmed by the information so soon after learning that my treatments were to continue.  I was greeted with open arms and warm faces by Lanie Rose, Sallye Wolf, and young adult survivors who I quickly bonded with and continue to lean on.  

It took me a long time to decide how I would talk about my diagnosis with the public world (Facebook or otherwise).  I was not sure how I would feel sharing my story or if I was ready to tell my story to a wider circle of people.  The outpouring of support and generosity to the BP5K and Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation cause after a simple Facebook post and some honest storytelling, continues to amaze me and be a source of strength and inspiration. The connections to other survivors has been critical to my healing process and I can only hope that the connections I make with other survivors allows me to pay it forward in some small way.  The connection to the survivor community, the empowerment I feel from running, the opportunity to pay it forward, the unending love of my support network and the courage and strength I gain from other survivors- these is my reason to run and to keep running and fighting. These are my reasons to keep living and fighting statistics and to join others in their fight to do the same.