Going for the Gold
- Australian rower Jean Mitchell, 24, will be competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time after beating brain cancer at 16 — and battling the long term side effects that come along with it.
- The athlete, who will attempt to go for the gold with her team of four women in Paris on Sunday, said she still struggles with her balance and fatigue, and as part of her follow-up care, still gets MRIs every six months. Nevertheless, she went back to “square one” and retrained her body to conquer her dream.
- When it comes to healing after cancer, survivors tell us that focusing on healing emotionally can help get your physical strength back as well. And help combat feelings of fear of a recurrence or other post-cancer trauma.
- The signs of a cancerous brain tumor can vary greatly based on the size, spread, and location of the cancer. Symptoms can include: Nausea, fatigue, frequent headaches and/or a change in mental state.
“I’ve just been working away the past few years and have finally gotten to a point where I’m fit and healthy and good enough to make the team and that’s where we are now,” Mitchell told the Australian Associated Press in a post published by DailyMail.com.
Read More“I don’t want my path to be easier than everyone else’s otherwise I will feel a bit sad about that, I just like to get on with it.”
In an Instagram post ahead of her journey to Paris, Mitchell said she was “struggling to put into words how much this means to me and how grateful I am to the village of people who helped me get here.”
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“To my friends and family, who have been there to support me through my cancer journey and the highs and lows of this sport, I love you so much.”
Mitchell also thanked her coaches for “never giving up” on her. “Coaching countless early hours to ensure that I had the best chance possible to make this team.”
Last but certainly not least, Mitchell praised her “hard working” doctors, nurses and the rest of her medical team “who made a horrible time bearable and are ultimately the reason I’m still here today.”
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“I have dreamt of this moment since I was a young girl but there was a time where it seemed so far out of reach,” she expressed. “I am so grateful to be living in this moment.”
Persevering in the Face of Adversity
SurvivorNetTV‘s film The Frenchy tells the inspiring story of a Frenchman who beat cancer.
Jacques Houot is an 82-year old ski racer and cancer survivor. He’s also survived avalanches, a car crash, and a heart attack, but managed to keep his spirits high, in the face of adversity. Houot is living proof that laughter is the ultimate medicine.
SurvivorNetTV Presents – ‘The Frenchy’ about an adventurous 82-year-old skier who beat cancer
Houot uses his “inversion table doctor” to flip upside down, and get the blood flowing at home. He lives an active life in Carbondale, Colorado, and takes good care of his body. After his cancer diagnosis, Houot was unfazed, given everything he has been through in his life.
Healing After Cancer
Letting your feelings out is sound advice for anyone, especially for someone dealing with the emotional ramifications of cancer.
Evelyn Reyes-Beato would know. She is a colon cancer survivor, and comes from a culture where things like cancer and health issues aren’t always discussed out in the open. Evelyn says dealing with her emotional pain was a big part of dealing with her physical pain.
Focusing on healing from cancer emotional can ‘help your physical’ self
“You have to let it out,” Evelyn previously told SurvivorNet. “Your mental and your emotional help your physical get in line. If you keep all of the emotions in, the way I see it, is that stuff is going to eat you up inside and it’s not going to let you heal.”
Brain Tumors & Brain Cancer
Naturally, a lot of people think “cancer” when they hear the word tumor. However, most brain tumors aren’t actually cancerous. Less than one third (about 32%) of brain tumors are considered malignant (cancerous), according to the American Brain Tumor Association.
If a tumor is made up of normal-looking cells, then the tumor is benign. But these tumors may still require treatment, such as surgery. Because of this, they’re often referred to as “non-malignant,” since the word benign can be misleading.
The most common type of non-malignant brain tumors are meningiomas, however, there are 120 different types of brain and central nervous system tumors, per ABTA.
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On the flip side, if the tumor is actually brain cancer, these types of tumors generally grow faster, and are more aggressive than non-malignant tumors, the ABTA says. They often spread and damage other areas of the brain and spinal cord. Malignant brain tumors need to be treated as soon as possible to prolong life.
Oftentimes after an MRI, a biopsy will be performed on a brain tumor to determine its type. Sometimes, the results of imaging tests show that a tumor is likely to be non-malignant, and a biopsy is not necessary.
Types of Brain Tumors
Primary tumors are “glial” or “non-glial.” Glial tumors found in the brain are composed of glial cells, which “help support, connect, and protect the neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems,” cites Medical News Today.
Non-glial tumors develop on or in the structures of the brain including nerves, blood vessels and glands.
Malignant or cancerous tumors include:
- Glioma (Ella’s type of tumor), which makes up 78% of cancerous primary brain tumors
- Astrocytoma
- Ependymomas
- Glioblastoma
- Oligodendroglioma
- Medulloblastoma
Benign or noncancerous brain tumors include:
- Chordomas
- Craniopharyngiomas
- Gangliocytomas
- Glomus jugulare
- Meningiomas
- Pineocytomas
- Pituitary adenomas
- Schwannomas
- Acoustic neuromas
Signs And Symptoms of a Cancerous Brain Tumor
The signs and symptoms of a cancerous brain tumor can vary greatly based on the size, spread, and location of the cancer.
As a result, some individuals will not feel any real effects for some time while others will start to show symptoms almost immediately after the cancer starts to grow.
Common symptoms include:
- Intense and frequent headaches
- Intense pressure similar to a sinus infection
- Seizures
- Body tremors
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Shifts in personality
- Short-term memory loss
- Weakness of the legs and/or arms in one side of the body
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty speaking and remembering words
Individuals who experience multiple symptoms for any extended period of time, or just feel off and not themselves, should schedule an appointment with their doctor.
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