OLIVER TRUEMAN:

Thank you so much for visiting my page and for hopefully donating to the amazing Brain Tumor Foundation.

MY BRAIN TUMOR STORY (The short version)

Last year I had a major seizure. They discovered it was caused by a tumor in my right front temporal lobe and that I required surgery to remove it. After spending months recovering from my surgery, I’m now really pleased to be able to run the New York City Marathon to support The Brain Tumor Foundation. The Brain Tumor Foundation does amazing work to understand more about this under-researched disease and raise awareness for early detection. Read more in the long version below and I hope you can donate. Thanks!

MY BRAIN TUMOR STORY (The long version)

June, 21st 2012 is a day I’ll never forget. I was having my lunch break outside on a gloriously sunny day in New York City. After finishing lunch I suddenly started experiencing these weird feelings of deja vu and what felt like loud drum beats going off in my head. Feeling scared by these sensations, I stood up to try to find my way back to somewhere I felt safe (the office?). Standing up however, was the last thing I remember. I had, by onlookers’ accounts, fell flat on my face, breaking my nose and convulsing in a seizure on the ground for about 20 minutes. I awoke lying on a stretcher held by the FDNY ambulance paramedics (the best). All of this in the middle of midtown Manhattan!

I was taken to the NY Presbyterian Hospital, where I spent 3 days having all kinds of tests (CT Scans, blood tests, EEG and MRI’s).

It is then I heard the dreaded news, the news no one expects to hear at the age of 30-

“We’ve found a large mass in your right Front Temporal Lobe. We expect it’s a Brain Tumor and you need Surgery to remove it immediately!” GULP! My amazing wife Casey was with me through all this and made the whole experience incredibly positive. She is kind of amazing like that, love you Casey x.

Anyway, moving ahead a bit- I told the doctor I wanted to wait a while before the surgery. My Dad was visiting from the UK and I wanted to see him before going under the knife. We scheduled the surgery for July 18th, 2012.

This date came around quickly and Casey and I were up at 3am to get to the hospital at 4am for them to start the pre-surgery stuff - MRI, UV drips etc. Then I was off into the operation room, GULP again! Then I was put into a deep sleep.

5 hours go by and as I come out of the anesthetic hole, I’m convinced I am dead. It feels like I have someone else’s head and the pain I feel must be my greeting to the hell of my afterlife. Nope, I soon realize I am in fact alive (phew), and all I need is a dose of morphine. I spend about a week in the hospital and then I’m released to start my recovery at home.

After months of recovery, I go to get my post surgery MRI- The one where they check the results of the surgery (did they get it all etc.). The news is amazing and I’m one of the lucky ones who do not require any further treatments (no chemo, radiation or more surgery). They got it all and the Brain is recovering well.

They sent the Tumor away to be tested by pathology- The tumor comes back as Grade II, this means the Tumor has potential to grow back, but it is unlikely and what this really means is that I have a lifetime of twice yearly MRI check-ups, but again I’m really a lucky one compared to others who have to have many follow up treatments and surgery. My surgery, I am pleased to report, was a complete success.

I am a lucky one, not only because I had an amazing doctor, successful surgery, amazing support from family and friends, but also because my body decided to seizure and we were able to detect the Tumor earlier.

There are over a million people living with Brain tumors that have not been detected. I was also shocked by how little the Doctors knew about the causes for Brain Tumors.

That is why I am very proud to be fund raising for THE BRAIN TUMOR FOUNDATION who are leading efforts in early detection and funding for research.

PLEASE HELP AND DONATE. YOU’LL PUT A HUGE SMILE ON MY FACE AS I RUN 26.2 MILES!

THANK YOU SO MUCH,

Oliver Trueman

About The Brain Tumor Foundation-

Founded in 1998 by Patrick J. Kelly, M.D., F.A.C.S., Joseph Ransohoff Professor of Neurosurgery at NYU School of Medicine, the Brain Tumor Foundation (BTF) treats the whole patient by addressing their social, financial and emotional needs. BTF maintains a Board of Directors largely consisting of individuals with a personal or family connection to brain tumors and a Scientific Advisory Board comprised of international experts in neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, medical ethics, psychiatry, radiation therapy and research and development…

Their Mission-

The Brain Tumor Foundation’s goal is to offer support, guidance and education through its many programs and resources which include support groups, medical referrals, peer matching programs and educational materials. We also coordinate events such as the annual Brain Tumor Awareness Day conference and raise awareness among medical professionals and the public about the need for early detection.

The expertise, compassion and resources of The Brain Tumor Foundation ensure that brain tumor patients, their friends and family members, have a powerful ally in their fight against this dreadful disease. No one should be left to face this battle alone.