‘Bachelorette’ Star Joe Amabile, 40, Stays Positive 3 Weeks After Brain Tumor Surgery, Vowing to ‘Turn This Into The Best Thing Ever’

The reality TV star, nicknamed “Grocery Store Joe,” has since taken to Instagram to inform his fans that his “mindset is moving forward” in the aftermath of surgery.

“Keep in mind I’m starting from a really good place and I’m one of the lucky ones,” said Amabile, of his new perspective, in his most recent video post. “They removed the whole tumor, it came back low grade, and there’s a new medication that puts to sleep whatever tumor cells I have left over.”

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Amabile explained in the footage, “In three weeks since my surgery, this is my mindset moving forward. When I was 30, I went on ‘The Bachelorette,’ and I got sent home night one … like most of you know.

“I thought at the time, I thought it was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. Like, it felt pathetic. I felt pathetic.”

Still, he reflected that the experience “wound up being the best thing.”

He continued, “At 40, I got diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Way worse than getting sent home night one. But I’m gonna figure out how I can turn this into the best thing ever.”

“So if anyone’s got any suggestions,” Amabile said, laughing as he spoke.

Mental Health Matters: Depression, Anxiety, And Finding Hope After A Brain Tumor Diagnosis

Just one week after Amabile’s surgery, he informed his fans that his recovery was “going well” and “better than even I expected.”

Offering additional insight into his diagnosis, Amabile said, “I was diagnosed with a very low grade astrocytoma. So I will be undergoing treatment which included a daily pill that will put any remaining tumor cells to sleep, as well as regular MRIs. Staying positive baby.”

Astrocytoma brain tumors, a type of glioma, develop from astrocytes, which are “star-shaped cells” found in the brain. The American Brain Tumor Association describes these types of tumors as “slow growing and tend to invade surrounding tissue.”

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Grades I or II astrocytomas are nonmalignant (noncancerous) and may be referred to as low-grade. Grades III and IV astrocytomas are malignant and may be referred to as high-grade astrocytomas. Grade IV astrocytomas are known as glioblastoma multiforme. Lower grade astrocytomas can change into higher grade astrocytomas over time, so it’s important to catch these tumors as early as possible.

Amabile, who has credited his wife, Serena Pitt, whom he met on “Bachelor in Paradise,” as his “rock” throughout his brain tumor journey, has approached his recovery with remarkable optimism.

He’s even returned to running, revealing that he completed a 3.5-mile run just 15 days after undergoing surgery.

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What Led To Joe Amabile’s Diagnosis?

On July 13, Amabile shared a “medical update” with fans, revealing that a recent Prenuvo full-body scan led to an unexpected discovery.

“I didn’t share my Prenuvo results because they ended up finding a lesion in my brain. So then I had to get a brain MRI, and there was a blueberry-sized lesion in my brain that looks to be a glioma, which is a tumor,” Amabile said in another Instagram post.

The lesion that was removed in his brain, was previously believed to be a glioma. [A glioma is a type of tumor that develops in the brain or spinal cord, arising from glial cells—the supportive cells that protect, nourish, and help maintain the brain’s neurons.]

Dr. Alexandra Miller, Director of the Neuro-Oncologist Division at NYU Langone Health, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview, “Glioma is a broad term that refers to a whole range of different types of primary brain tumors. So, they’re tumors that originate in the brain and very rarely spread outside the brain to other parts of the body.”

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Prenuvo provides full-body MRI scans that create detailed images of the body, aiming to identify possible health issues before they cause noticeable symptoms.

It’s important to note that while full-body MRI scans are available to the public through companies like Prenuvo and its competitors, including Ezra, Neko Health, and SimonMed, they are not currently part of standard screening recommendations. Experts emphasize that these scans should not replace routine, guideline-based screenings.

Amabile continued, “So I now need to get brain surgery next week to get it removed and get it tested, and then we’re gonna go from there. So it’s been a wild couple weeks. I definitely wasn’t expecting this. I think it’s one of those things where you’re like, ‘oh, something like this, never happen to me.'”

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Making Sense of a Brain Tumor Diagnosis

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), brain tumors account for 85-90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. They can either be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign), and depending on where the tumor forms in the brain, doctors determine its type, potential symptoms, and potential treatment.

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Signs and Symptoms of Brain Tumors

Brain tumors impact a person’s brain function and overall health, depending on their size, type, and location within the brain. Tumors that grow big enough and disrupt normal central nervous system functioning can press on nearby nerves, blood vessels, or other tissues. The disrupted central nervous system can present in various ways, making walking or maintaining balance difficult.

However, it’s important to know that brain tumors do not always cause symptoms.

Other signs of brain tumors may include:

• Headaches
• Difficulty speaking or thinking
• Weakness
• Behavioral changes
• Vision changes
• Seizures
• Loss of hearing
• Confusion
• Memory loss

Types of Cancerous and Non-Cancerous Brain Tumors

A brain tumor can affect you differently depending on its location and if it is cancerous. Some brain tumors are non-cancerous (or benign). According to the National Cancer Institute, some examples of these types of brain tumors include:

• Chordomas are primarily benign and slow-growing and are often found near the tailbone or where the spine meets the skull.
• Craniopharyngiomas are rare, slow-growing tumors that don’t spread to other parts of the brain or body. They form near the pituitary gland, near the base of the brain.
• Gangliocytomas are rare tumors of the central nervous system that tend to form on the temporal lobe (the left or right side of the brain).
• Glomus jugulare is a rare and slow-growing tumor.
• Meningiomas are rare brain tumors that usually form on the outer layer of tissue that covers the brain (dura mater).
• Pineocytomas are rare and slow-growing tumors located in the pineal gland near the middle of the brain.
• Pituitary adenomas are slow-growing brain tumors of the anterior pituitary located in the lower part of the brain.
• Schwannomas are rare tumors that grow on the cells that protect nerve cells. They are called Schwann cells.
• Acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannoma) are slow-growing tumors that develop from the nerves that help balance and hearing.

Other brain tumors are malignant or cancerous. These kinds of tumors include:

• Gliomas are the most common form of cancerous and aggressive primary brain tumors.
• Astrocytoma (glioma) forms in astrocytes (star-shaped cells). Depending on how aggressive or fast they grow and impact brain tissue, these tumors are classified into four grades.
• Ependymomas are tumors classified into three grades depending on how aggressive or fast they grow.
• Oligodendroglioma tumors are classified into grades depending on their growth speed. Grade 2 oligodendroglioma tumors are slow-growing and can invade nearby tissue, but they may not present symptoms for many years before detection. Meanwhile, grade 3 oligodendroglioma tumors proliferate.
• Medulloblastoma tumors are classified into four different grades depending on their aggressive nature or how quickly they grow.
• Glioblastoma, which is considered a central nervous system (CNS) tumor, is the most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults.

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Inside Brain Tumor Surgery and Recovery: What Patients Can Expect

Surgery to remove a brain tumor is delicate by nature, and every movement inside the skull must balance precision with safety.

“We take off the bone overlaying the area we need to get to. We open the little envelope around the brain called the dura, and then we move through the brain tissue to get to where the tumor is to try to cut out as much as we can safely—without hurting the patient’s function or other important things like big blood vessels that can cause things like a stroke,” says board-certified neurosurgeon at Emory University School of Medicine Dr. Kimberly Hoang.

Following surgery, patients are closely monitored and often receive radiation to prevent tumor regrowth—particularly in cases where multiple tumors or metastatic disease are involved.

“Because many patients can have more than one brain tumor or metastasis from their cancer, it was not reasonable to think about surgery for them,” Dr. Hoang adds. “They also get radiation for those spots as well, to try to keep those tumors from growing or shrink them down.”

Treatment Advancements & the Challenge of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies have long been effective in treating cancer throughout the body. But the brain’s natural defense — the blood-brain barrier — makes these treatments less effective when it comes to brain tumors.

This barrier is “a network of blood vessels and tissue…made up of closely spaced cells and helps keep harmful substances from reaching the brain,” according to the National Cancer Institute.

Still, Dr. Hoang notes that recent advancements in drug design are beginning to improve treatment efficacy in the brain.

Understanding Side Effects of Brain Tumor Treatment

Side effects vary depending on the tumor’s size, location, and number of lesions present.

“Radiation treatment can cause swelling in the tumor as the tumor ‘dies,’ and the surrounding tissue can also become swollen as the treatment takes effect,” Dr. Krishanthan Vigneswaran, a neurosurgeon with UT Health Houston and Memorial Hermann, tells SurvivorNet.

“This swelling can cause symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, and neurological loss of function…Surgical resection can also induce swelling, but this is more transient.”

Tumor location often determines what symptoms emerge:

“If it’s near your movement area, movement on one side of the body can be affected. If it’s near your speech area, your speech and the way you form words and express them can be affected,” Dr. Hoang explains.

She also notes brain surgery tends to be less painful than other types — like spinal or abdominal — due to fewer nerves in the surgical area.

Recovery & Long-Term Monitoring

Simpson still receives recurring MRI scans to monitor his brain for any signs of cancer progression.
“Because of this unique quality of metastatic brain disease, an oncology team will have to monitor a patient indefinitely during remission,” Dr. Vigneswaran says.

Many experts recommend joining a support group — especially one with people who’ve undergone similar procedures. Their lived experience can offer comfort and practical advice.

“Support groups can be incredibly helpful to patients and are commonly offered at major cancer centers and hospitals,” says Dr. Jennifer Moliterno, Chief of Neurosurgical Oncology at Yale Cancer Center.

Mental health professionals are also often part of the care team, helping patients manage the emotional effects of surgery, treatment, and recovery.

Coping with Glioma: Managing the Emotional and Psychological Impact

Beyond the medical aspects of facing a glioma diagnosis, many patients also find themselves struggling with the emotional and psychological challenges a cancer diagnosis can, and often does, bring. It’s natural to experience feelings of anxiety, sadness, or uncertainty.

Because glioma treatment can also cause neurological, cognitive, and behavioral changes that affect daily life, acknowledging these challenges and working with your treatment team to find the right sort of support can help you improve your overall wellbeing.

“It’s very individual, related to a person’s personality, their situation, what’s happening in their life, how they react,” Dr. Howard Colman, a neuro-oncologist at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, previously told SurvivorNet. “And so the appropriate responses and management has to be very individualized to that patient.”

Coping with Glioma: Managing the Emotional and Psychological Impact

After receiving a glioma diagnosis, it’s common to experience a flood of emotions — shock, disbelief, fear, sadness, or even frustration. You may feel a sense of loss or worry about how the condition will affect your daily life. At the same time, your loved ones may also be struggling as they take on new caregiving roles and provide emotional support.

“Even the lower grade tumors where the treatment is just surgery and observation, it obviously creates a lot pf psychological stress related to the diagnosis and the process of getting the final answer of what it is,” Dr. Colman explained.

Feelings of depression and anxiety are particularly common. Many patients grieve changes to their independence, cognitive abilities, or physical function — but it’s important to recognize that there are support tools available.

Finding the Right Support

“In specialty brain tumor clinics, we generally have social workers, neuropsychologists, case managers, other people who are specialized in dealing with these particular issues — not just cancer patients in general, but with brain tumor patients specifically. And there are very unique challenges for brain tumor patients,” Dr. Colman explains.

The following professionals can help patients find the support they need during the cancer journey:

• The Medical Team (Neurologists & Oncologists): They can provide information about your condition, treatment options, and possible side effects, as well as refer you to specialists for additional support.
• Mental Health Professionals: Psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors can offer therapy and, if needed, medication to help manage depression, anxiety, or stress.
• Social Workers & Patient Navigators: These professionals can help with financial assistance, accessing resources, and coordinating your care.
• Support Groups: Connecting with others who understand your experience can offer comfort, encouragement, and valuable coping strategies.
• Friends & Family: Your loved ones can provide emotional and practical support, helping with daily tasks and offering a listening ear when needed.

Focusing on the Positive on Your Cancer Journey

Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Health, says that maintaining good emotional health and quality of life is associated with better survival and patient outcomes. She encourages cancer patients to prioritize their emotional health for this reason.

WATCH: The benefits of finding time for joy amid health struggles.

“So definitely working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment, your emotional well-being, definitely working on those things and making them better are important and can impact your survival,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet.

Dr. Chase suggests tapping into your support network, including loved ones like friends and family. It can also be a patient advocate or a support group — in-person or virtual — that shares your cancer or disease.

How Battling Cancer Can Change Your Mindset

Many cancer patients who bravely shared their stories with SurvivorNet often talk about how their outlook on life shifts amid their cancer journeys. The shift in mindset often includes a sense of gratitude for cancer patients.

WATCH: Finding Gratitude & Its Impact On Your Well-Being’

Gratitude means being thankful for what you have and showing appreciation for it. It’s a mindset that helps people going through tough times, and the experts SurvivorNet spoke with encourage cancer warriors and their loved ones to practice gratitude.

Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, told SurvivorNet that his patients who live with gratitude tend to handle treatment better because this attitude is one way to stay mentally healthy.

“The patients who do well with cancer, they live life with that kind of gratitude, but in terms of everything,” he explained. “They’re grateful, not for cancer, but they’re grateful for an opportunity to know that life is finite.”

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, several studies have indicated that learning to live with gratitude can lead to more happiness and less stress.

One way to exercise gratitude is to take time to think about things you appreciate every day. One way to exercise gratitude in your life includes writing down those things in a journal.

Questions for Your Doctor

If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumor, you may have some questions to consider asking your doctor. We encourage you to explore SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI-platform “My Health Questions” to assist you with your cancer journey.

WATCH: How SurvivorNet’s Proprietary AI-tool “My Health Questions” Is Making a Difference In Patient’s Lives

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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