Our Story
Just Like That! Our World Was Forever Changed
It is heartbreaking and still so surreal that my soulmate is no longer on this earth. Jim earned his angel wings on March 25, 2023, due to the most aggressive form of brain cancer, Glioblastoma (GBM). Like anyone diagnosed with this dreadful disease, we'd never heard of it. "Spell it for me" is what I asked our doctor when he first said the word.
Like so many, Jim was a strong and healthy man with no prior medical conditions – zero! He woke up one morning with a limp on his left leg that eventually graduated to overall left side weakness and lack of coordination. So odd! Out of nowhere. What could be wrong?
NEVER would we have EVER imagined that after several doctor visits, an MRI found a small tumor on the motor strip of his brain. A biopsy, 10 days later, confirmed it was cancer. Nothing prepares you for that news – nothing!! We were so shocked. So devastated. So many tears. So many prayers. In a snap, our world changed, forever.
Positivity Led to Progress, Faster than Expected and Then...
As Jim underwent radiation & chemo to zap the tumor, he reminded me of our pack to LIVE OUR LIFE & to STAY POSITIVE no matter what.
In the early days, it was hard; really hard. Jim could not move his left side and was in a wheelchair. Friends helped me install ramps to wheel him in/out of the house. Small things quickly became big ordeals. He needed me to help him with everything…but we would not give up. He needed me. I needed him. Together, as always.
As days turned to weeks that turned to months, Jim made progress. He started PT. He had to re-learn everything on his left side. Over time, he became stronger. The ramps came down. The wheelchair was replaced with a walker and then eventually, he was walking again on his own. In less than 3 months, he was climbing stairs and made it back to sleeping in our master bedroom.
It was a miracle. Our medical team could not believe it. Despite the statistics, Jim beat the odds. We were so thankful.
And then, we started to see new symptoms. The tumor came back, several times, actually, until there was nothing more that we could do.
Positivity Carried Us Through Jim's Brain Cancer Journey
For over two years, Jim battled GBM when less than 25% of people survive it out of their first year. The statistics are depressing, yet Jim was determined to LIVE….and that we did because, thankfully, he was never sick or bedridden during treatment. His strength, positive attitude and love for his family, were the reasons we beat the odds.
During those two years, we traveled. We went to the beach. We hit the road to our sons’ college baseball games to watch them pitch. We tried new restaurants, celebrated birthdays, anniversaries and holidays with friends and family. We did SO MUCH and made SO MANY unforgettable memories. It sounds weird, I know, but those two years were not all bad. In fact, there was SO MUCH GOOD – many happy times!
I attribute the biggest part of our journey to Jim’s positive spirit. He was always smiling and never asked ‘why me.’ He was so full of life and love, even with aggressive brain cancer. He was always so positive, and we all stayed positive, too.
Jim’s Live Big, Love Big motto carried him and us, through this journey with brain cancer.
Moving Forward to Make a Positive Impact
I am forever grateful for the compassion and expertise of our Emory Winship Cancer Institute and Duke University Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center of doctors and nurses who guided us with love, care & compassion. Together, we achieved more than was expected. Other than a cure, the greatest gift given to us was the gift of time.
Brain cancer has changed us and our lives, forever. As we move forward, we are committed to uniting vision and voices to make brain cancer a priority. We need to think more about it. Talk more about it. Take action to reverse the statistics.
Together, we have to do better. We have to come together to raise awareness and get more funding on federal agendas and keep doing it until we see the survival rate improve and eventually find a cure!
We hope you join us as we live, love and honor Jim’s legacy for the rest of our lives.