Strange Symptoms of Brain Cancer
- Keith Jackson, 54, was on a family video chat when he suddenly sounded “drunk” and started slurring his wordsthey urged him to go get care immediately.
- Shortly after, the loving father and husband was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer.
- While glioblastoma is currently an incurable disease, brain cancer treatment options are broadening, thanks to newer cancer research. It’s important to never give up hope.
Urged to go get care immediately, Portuguese doctors unfortunately found a legion on his brain.
Read MoreDue to complications with an infection he had, his radiation was delayed. Once he was able to begin treatment, unfortunately it was too grueling that he made the extremely difficult decision to stop treatment all together.
"When I visited him in February, I sat next to him, talking, and reading. As I got up to leave, I leant over to give him a kiss on the cheek and felt him grab my hand and as he said 'I love you,'” Lianne shared.
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Sadly, Keith died just three months after his video call.
Now, to pay tribute to her dad, Lianne is now gearing up to run three back-to-back marathons to raise awareness and funds for brain tumor research.
"Dad encouraged me and [my brother] Luke to live our lives to the fullest and didn't want us to see him ill," she said. "He had a few sessions of radiotherapy which made him very sick, and he decided to stop any further treatment, and eventually became bedridden and stopped eating.”
Lianne noted that her dad always wanted to donate his body to science, but due to the type of treatment he underwent for his brain tumor, he couldn’t.
“Raising money for Brain Tumour Research is my way of honouring him through something I know he would have supported," Lianne said of her honorable activism.
What is Glioblastoma?
Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer for which there is currently no cure. It's the most aggressive primary brain tumor. It's perhaps best known as the form of brain cancer that claimed the lives of both Senator John McCain and President Joe Biden's son, Beau.
Brain cancer treatment options are broadening, thanks to newer cancer research. Duke University Medical Center neuro-oncologist Dr. Henry Friedman told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview there is progress being made in treatment of the disease.
There Is New Hope for Those Fighting Glioblastoma
Dr. Friedman said that his Duke colleagues are investigating a new therapy that combines the modified poliovirus and immunotherapy. "The modified poliovirus is used to treat this tumor, by injecting it directly into the tumor, through a catheter,” he explained. “It is designed to lyse the tumor and cause the tumor cells to basically break up.”
"I think that the modified poliovirus is going to be a game-changer in glioblastoma," Dr. Friedman added, which is certainly good news for newly-diagnosed patients and families who have suffered loss from this disease.
No matter what, it is important to never give up hope. If you experience symptoms such as a sudden change in speech, blurred vision, or balance problems, seek care immediately.
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