James

“Cancer terrified me,” says James, recalling being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor at 13. The sicker he became, however, the more he resolved to keep going. James underwent surgery, chemotherapy with stem cell transplant, and radiation treatment. After a recurrence two years later, he did it all again.

Exhausted, James lost a great deal of time from school throughout his treatments. But rather than getting him down, the experience taught him about overcoming fear. “I learned a lot about my strength, both physical and mental.” he says. “I learned not to let what I can’t do interfere with what I can.”

James believes that his brain tumor and subsequent treatment experience have benefited him, “It’s changed my outlook on life, and shaped me as a person,” he says. He has since gone on to rally support for cancer research.

Now attending college with the help of a Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation® scholarship, James is majoring in English and hopes to become a journalist. He says his main goal is to motivate other brain tumor patients to achieve their dreams despite adversity.