Stephanie and Alex are a newlywed couple navigating the challenges of life after a brain cancer diagnosis. They are incredibly grateful for family and friends - and even strangers - that have supported them through prayer, encouragement, and love through these last few months. As they continue forward with the many unknowns about how Stephanie’s disease will progress and change over time, their family and friends have encouraged them to allow us to ask for financial support on their behalf. Stephanie will not be able to work for the foreseeable future and medical bills are steadily rolling in. We know how many people love them and want to offer support in any way they can! See below for their full story. 
Stephanie describes herself as a helper and an encourager. Her passion in life is to give of herself to others, no matter what stage or walk of life they may find themselves in - which is exactly why she pursued a career in Music Therapy. Each day, she welcomes students, clients, and their families into her studio: Silver Linings Music. Her scope of practice reaches all ages and abilities, with the mission of: “...to use music to find the good in situations that may seem challenging, no matter how big or small. We believe that music is an incredibly powerful tool that can play a role in bringing an increased quality of life to all who experiences its benefits.” Stephanie serves both individuals and groups with her music therapy practice, and teaches private music lessons to all ages. Music has blessed her life in so many ways time and time again, and she has seen firsthand the amount of joy, hope, and healing it has provided others. Through her private practice, Stephanie not only shares music - she shares love and encouragement with those she meets.
Life put up a “yield” sign for Stephanie earlier in 2022, shortly after her 30th birthday, when her primary care physician recommended she see a neurologist for some strange symptoms she had been experiencing for several months. With a history of migraines since grade school, she knew to recognize the signs of one coming on. However, in June of 2021, she woke up with a migraine that lasted for 11 days - far beyond the normal scope of her “several hour migraines” she typically experienced once a year. With this most painful migraine onset a new symptom - auditory hallucinations. As a musician, she assumed that her brain was creating this somehow familiar and always similar music in her head for some kind of reason. She just did not know what that reason was. These hallucinations, however, did not go away when the migraine did. They did not effect her daily living abilities, but did begin to increase in quantity and severity, and is what prompted her to finally see a doctor about them - they clearly were not going to go away on their own. After seeing a neurologist, EEG and MRI scans were ordered. An EEG came back normal - ruling out any abnormal brain activity. The MRI on April 3 did not provide the same hopeful news. A brain tumor was found in her right temporal lobe - the area of the brain that deals a large amount with music, rhythm, musical memories, and auditory processing - and the auditory hallucinations were then given the official name of “micro” seizure. A surgery would need to take place. Soon. Stephanie and Alex (engaged at the time) met with the neurosurgeon the following week to map out a plan and ask more questions - questions for which the surgeon would not have answers for until a surgery and biopsy was performed. He did express, however, that he assumed the tumor was benign. Stephanie and Alex’s wedding was already scheduled for May 7, and the surgeon assured them that the surgery could wait a couple more weeks and take place shortly after. Time moved forward with the hope that a surgery would occur, the tumor would be removed, and then recovery time would lead back into normal life within a couple of months. Their wedding was a Pacific Northwest dream, and exactly what the two had envisioned for their day. Their immediate family joined them in the mountains of Washington for a misty celebration. The days that followed would put the vows they made to each other into action. While still technically on their honeymoon, Stephanie was admitted into surgery for her craniotomy on the morning of May 17. Almost all of the tumor was successfully removed from the right temporal lobe - approximately 5x5 cm. The neurosurgeon said that she was the “newest newlywed” he had ever operated on.
As Stephanie was still recovering from surgery in the hospital, an oncologist visited her and Alex to let them know the tumor was more serious than they had hoped. He believed that, even before a pathology report was complete, cancer cells were present at the tumor site and that she would need to undergo rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Shortly after, the pathology report confirmed: A Grade 3 Astrocytoma with an IDH Mutation. Brain Cancer. A disease that has no cure, and a tumor that that doctors said will grow back. Stephanie’s oncologist laid out a plan for treatment - “to buy time” - so that, hopefully, research will progress before tumor regrowth does occur. She is currently undergoing her first round of treatment and will finish soon: 6 weeks of simultaneous chemotherapy (every day) and radiation treatments (5 days/week). After this round is complete, she will have a month to recharge before beginning 6-12 more months of chemotherapy treatments at a higher dosage. She will continue receiving MRI scans on a very regular basis to keep a close watch on the state of the tumor.
Because of the surgery’s recovery time and side effects from treatment, Stephanie has been unable to work. Her doctors recommend that she not return to work until she knows how the higher dosage of chemotherapy will effect her. Currently, she experiences high amounts of fatigue and brain fog, but tries to remain as active as her body allows in order to give her body the strength it needs to fight... while also resting often to give it the time it needs to heal.
Alex and Stephanie are incredibly grateful to the oncologist for asking the question, “Do you plan to have children?” Stephanie has always had a deep desire to be a mom, and the couple planned to start a family shortly after their marriage. And yet, another “yield” sign. The oncologist informed them that chemotherapy and radiation treatments would greatly deplete Stephanie’s egg reserve, making it difficult to conceive naturally once on the other side of treatments. He recommended that they speak to a fertility specialist about freezing her eggs. They found a clinic that was gracious enough to prioritize their case so that the process could be completed before chemo/radiation treatment began. They started IVF injections within a few weeks of her surgery, and egg retrieval surgery shortly thereafter. Alex and Stephanie were thrilled and so grateful in the midst of this storm to be blessed with 7 successfully frozen embryos. These embryos have provided a bright spot of hope for the couple in the midst of this journey. They can’t wait for the day that they can become parents to those precious little ones ❤️.
Any donations to this site will go directly to Stephanie and Alex to help with their expenses and to allow them the ability to enjoy their new life together.
Stephanie describes herself as a helper and an encourager. Her passion in life is to give of herself to others, no matter what stage or walk of life they may find themselves in - which is exactly why she pursued a career in Music Therapy. Each day, she welcomes students, clients, and their families into her studio: Silver Linings Music. Her scope of practice reaches all ages and abilities, with the mission of: “...to use music to find the good in situations that may seem challenging, no matter how big or small. We believe that music is an incredibly powerful tool that can play a role in bringing an increased quality of life to all who experiences its benefits.” Stephanie serves both individuals and groups with her music therapy practice, and teaches private music lessons to all ages. Music has blessed her life in so many ways time and time again, and she has seen firsthand the amount of joy, hope, and healing it has provided others. Through her private practice, Stephanie not only shares music - she shares love and encouragement with those she meets.
Life put up a “yield” sign for Stephanie earlier in 2022, shortly after her 30th birthday, when her primary care physician recommended she see a neurologist for some strange symptoms she had been experiencing for several months. With a history of migraines since grade school, she knew to recognize the signs of one coming on. However, in June of 2021, she woke up with a migraine that lasted for 11 days - far beyond the normal scope of her “several hour migraines” she typically experienced once a year. With this most painful migraine onset a new symptom - auditory hallucinations. As a musician, she assumed that her brain was creating this somehow familiar and always similar music in her head for some kind of reason. She just did not know what that reason was. These hallucinations, however, did not go away when the migraine did. They did not effect her daily living abilities, but did begin to increase in quantity and severity, and is what prompted her to finally see a doctor about them - they clearly were not going to go away on their own. After seeing a neurologist, EEG and MRI scans were ordered. An EEG came back normal - ruling out any abnormal brain activity. The MRI on April 3 did not provide the same hopeful news. A brain tumor was found in her right temporal lobe - the area of the brain that deals a large amount with music, rhythm, musical memories, and auditory processing - and the auditory hallucinations were then given the official name of “micro” seizure. A surgery would need to take place. Soon. Stephanie and Alex (engaged at the time) met with the neurosurgeon the following week to map out a plan and ask more questions - questions for which the surgeon would not have answers for until a surgery and biopsy was performed. He did express, however, that he assumed the tumor was benign. Stephanie and Alex’s wedding was already scheduled for May 7, and the surgeon assured them that the surgery could wait a couple more weeks and take place shortly after. Time moved forward with the hope that a surgery would occur, the tumor would be removed, and then recovery time would lead back into normal life within a couple of months. Their wedding was a Pacific Northwest dream, and exactly what the two had envisioned for their day. Their immediate family joined them in the mountains of Washington for a misty celebration. The days that followed would put the vows they made to each other into action. While still technically on their honeymoon, Stephanie was admitted into surgery for her craniotomy on the morning of May 17. Almost all of the tumor was successfully removed from the right temporal lobe - approximately 5x5 cm. The neurosurgeon said that she was the “newest newlywed” he had ever operated on.
As Stephanie was still recovering from surgery in the hospital, an oncologist visited her and Alex to let them know the tumor was more serious than they had hoped. He believed that, even before a pathology report was complete, cancer cells were present at the tumor site and that she would need to undergo rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Shortly after, the pathology report confirmed: A Grade 3 Astrocytoma with an IDH Mutation. Brain Cancer. A disease that has no cure, and a tumor that that doctors said will grow back. Stephanie’s oncologist laid out a plan for treatment - “to buy time” - so that, hopefully, research will progress before tumor regrowth does occur. She is currently undergoing her first round of treatment and will finish soon: 6 weeks of simultaneous chemotherapy (every day) and radiation treatments (5 days/week). After this round is complete, she will have a month to recharge before beginning 6-12 more months of chemotherapy treatments at a higher dosage. She will continue receiving MRI scans on a very regular basis to keep a close watch on the state of the tumor.
Because of the surgery’s recovery time and side effects from treatment, Stephanie has been unable to work. Her doctors recommend that she not return to work until she knows how the higher dosage of chemotherapy will effect her. Currently, she experiences high amounts of fatigue and brain fog, but tries to remain as active as her body allows in order to give her body the strength it needs to fight... while also resting often to give it the time it needs to heal.
Alex and Stephanie are incredibly grateful to the oncologist for asking the question, “Do you plan to have children?” Stephanie has always had a deep desire to be a mom, and the couple planned to start a family shortly after their marriage. And yet, another “yield” sign. The oncologist informed them that chemotherapy and radiation treatments would greatly deplete Stephanie’s egg reserve, making it difficult to conceive naturally once on the other side of treatments. He recommended that they speak to a fertility specialist about freezing her eggs. They found a clinic that was gracious enough to prioritize their case so that the process could be completed before chemo/radiation treatment began. They started IVF injections within a few weeks of her surgery, and egg retrieval surgery shortly thereafter. Alex and Stephanie were thrilled and so grateful in the midst of this storm to be blessed with 7 successfully frozen embryos. These embryos have provided a bright spot of hope for the couple in the midst of this journey. They can’t wait for the day that they can become parents to those precious little ones ❤️.
Any donations to this site will go directly to Stephanie and Alex to help with their expenses and to allow them the ability to enjoy their new life together.