Aid Austin Teacher's Fight Against Brain Cancer

Hello, all. I’m a native Austinite who has worked as a public school educator for 26 years in AISD. In 2015, I was diagnosed with a stage 2 brain tumor, an oligodendroglioma, that I call Ollie for short. Since then, I’ve continued teaching—missing only two weeks with my students after my craniotomy—despite having several breakthrough seizures, as well as two strokes in 2020 after I developed Takotsubo or “broken heart syndrome” during the stress of Covid and my sister’s diagnosis with a different type of brain tumor.

Now 9 years on from my initial diagnosis, my tumor has begun to grow again. I’ve endured 30 radiation treatments this year and am undergoing chemo again to try to take Ollie out. The end of treatment is in sight and so far, my results have been excellent. Throughout these years, my husband has been my caretaker and has found it difficult to work full time, not knowing when I’ll be taken down by a seizure. In fact, the trauma of the experiences of watching me seize caused him to develop PTSD, for which I highly recommend EMDR therapy.

The costs of my treatments have become prohibitive to us. I’m coming to the community to help raise funds to help pay my medical expenses. I’ve spent my career fostering the development of responsible citizens and contributing my time when I can to Keep Austin Beautiful and NAMI.