EXCLUSIVE I was given six months to live after my brain tumor was found...it's a 'miracle' I'm alive a decade later
Los Angeles-based filmmaker Grace Wethor was 13 when she learned of the massive tumor pressing on her brain. She was given six months to live.
But a decade later she is living a full and vibrant life - defying the odds in what doctors call a 'miracle' case.
In 2015, she began experiencing headaches and seizures, prompting her to go to the hospital. Doctors found a tumor in her brainstem, called a glioma, a typically fatal cancer with minimal treatment options that are often unsuccessful.
Doctors said she had about six months to live until the cancer, which has a survival rate of about eight percent, killed her.
Wethor said: 'Because my tumor is so difficult to treat, I was able to leave the hospital and spend my "last six months" doing what I love.
'During those first six months, when I thought they might be my last, I made it a mission to do something creative every single day.'
She painted, taught herself how to play guitar, and made fashion a form of self-expression. She visited museums with her mother, which she said 'was crucial to keeping my mind off my diagnosis and current health circumstances.'
While she never received treatment, her symptoms – headaches, fatigue, and seizures – became manageable with a healthy balance of mindfulness and physical health.
'It's not always perfect, but I've found ways to work with my body rather than against it,' she said. 'Most days, I'm able to live a full and relatively normal life…I don't assume I have time.'
Now, an advocate for cancer research, Wethor undergoes MRI scans, fearing all the time that the cancer has grown. But she hasn't let that fear take over her life.
A glioma of the brain stem is a tumor that develops in the area connecting the brain to the spinal cord and can come in different varieties based on the specific type of glial cell.
The brainstem is crucial in controlling vital functions such as breathing, heart rate, swallowing, and movement.
Damage to it can lead to a wide range of devastating effects that Wethor fears are lurking just around the corner, including difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, and cognitive decline.
Brainstem gliomas are rare and more common in children than adults. Every year, there are roughly 300 cases in adults and 500 cases in children.
It is the same cancer President Joe Biden's son Beau had. He was diagnosed in 2013 and died two years later.
'My doctors can't explain why I have survived,' she said. 'I still have my tumor, but miraculously, it has not grown.'
There is no treatment for this form of cancer, leaving her wondering when her regular MRI scan will show that the tumor has grown and pressure on her brain has worsened.
Doctors do not know what prompted the tumor to develop, how it might respond to treatment, what the best available treatments are, or whether it will come back if a patient reaches remission.
Wethor's expectation-exceeding survival is nothing short of miraculous, given the tiny chance of survival given to her as a teen.
She said: 'Because of the complexity of the brain stem, doctors aren't able to biopsy or do surgery on these tumors.
'This means that as soon as these tumors start growing, there isn't much that can be done to help the patient - especially because chemotherapy and radiation also have a slim chance of working.'
Radiation's effect is often short-lived, chemotherapy often fails and there are no targeted therapies.
When symptoms appear, such as double vision, slurred speech, and imbalance, the cancer has spread beyond help.
'The hope is that one day a trial or new treatment will emerge that can help tumors in this area of the brain,' she said.
'There have been some advancements but we still have a long way to go.'
From the outside, she said, nobody would know she has a brain tumor. And while she still gets headaches and other symptoms, she has been able to find creative outlets.
The cancer could worsen at any moment, but Wethor doesn't fear death.
Social workers would ask her if she was afraid of dying, but she realized it was the wrong question.
'Really what I should have been asked was if I was afraid of living – living with this reality and wondering how long I and others could live under that stress and unknown,' she said.
'I try to live every day as an adventure, because no one is guaranteed any amount of time, brain tumor or no brain tumor, and this experience has made that impossible to ignore.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
ChatGPT use linked to cognitive decline, research reveals
Relying on the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to help you write an essay could be linked to cognitive decline, a new study reveals. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab studied the impact of ChatGPT on the brain by asking three groups of people to write an essay. One group relied on ChatGPT, one group relied on search engines, and one group had no outside resources at all. The researchers then monitored their brains using electroencephalography, a method which measures electrical activity. The team discovered that those who relied on ChatGPT — also known as a large language model — had the 'weakest' brain connectivity and remembered the least about their essays, highlighting potential concerns about cognitive decline in frequent users. 'Over four months, [large language model] users consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels,' the study reads. 'These results raise concerns about the long-term educational implications of [large language model] reliance and underscore the need for deeper inquiry into AI's role in learning.' The study also found that those who didn't use outside resources to write the essays had the 'strongest, most distributed networks.' While ChatGPT is 'efficient and convenient,' those who use it to write essays aren't 'integrat[ing] any of it' into their memory networks, lead author Nataliya Kosmyna told Time Magazine. Kosmyna said she's especially concerned about the impacts of ChatGPT on children whose brains are still developing. 'What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6-8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, 'let's do GPT kindergarten,'' Kosmyna said. 'I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental. Developing brains are at the highest risk.' But others, including President Donald Trump and members of his administration, aren't so worried about the impacts of ChatGPT on developing brains. Trump signed an executive order in April promoting the integration of AI into American schools. 'To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation's youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology,' the order reads. 'By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.' Kosmyna said her team is now working on another study comparing the brain activity of software engineers and programmers who use AI with those who don't. 'The results are even worse,' she told Time Magazine.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I nearly DIED after developing toxic shock syndrome... here are the symptoms I overlooked
At only 15, Shannon Turner suffered a near-deadly case of toxic shock syndrome, which was so severe she was given a 50 percent chance of survival - all from using a tampon. Now, she has laid bare the horrifying ordeal exclusively with the Daily Mail. 'It put me in a coma and nearly took my life - I hadn't even had my period for a full year yet,' Shannon, who was on a family vacation at the time, explained. Shannon revealed she began to feel ill in the evening after she landed, but she assumed it was just jet lag and tried to sleep it off. But she woke up the next day with extreme symptoms, including: vomiting, diarrhea, a fever, and fatigue. 'I was brought to the doctor that afternoon, given a shot for nausea, and sent home,' she continued. 'I continued to deteriorate and was brought back to the doctor later that same day.' 'My last memory is collapsing in the office and laying on the ground because it hurt too much to sit up,' she recalled. 'My heart rate was extremely high, my blood pressure was dangerously low, and I was rushed to the ICU. I didn't wake up until a few days later.' Toxic Shock Syndrome is a 'rare complication of certain types of bacterial infections,' according to MayoClinic. 'It can be fatal. 'Risk factors for toxic shock syndrome include skin wounds, surgery, and the use of tampons and other devices, such as menstrual cups and birth control sponges or diaphragms.' While Shannon was unconscious, doctors worked furiously to diagnose her - initially misdiagnosing her with meningitis and nearly performed an unnecessary spinal tap. 'Thankfully, my mom mentioned to a family member that I was on my period - and that's when menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS) was suggested,' she shared. 'The doctors were informed and my treatment plan shifted. I was incredibly lucky the infectious disease doctor on call had studied toxic shock and knew exactly what to do, but because mTSS progresses so quickly, I was still given a 50/50 chance of survival.' She explained that after the doctors saved her life, she was sent home with 'little guidance' on what to expect during recovery, or how long her symptoms would last - and the aftermath was brutal. 'My hospital stay was only a few days, but the recovery afterward took much longer,' Shannon said. 'I dealt with memory loss, anxiety, attention issues, and depression. My periods also became extremely painful. 'From the age of 15, I was put on prescription painkillers to manage my menstrual pain.' Her experience led to her starting her nonprofit, Protect Her Inc., which is dedicated to 'revolutionizing menstrual health education.' 'We believe knowledge is power - and yet, so many people are navigating their cycles with almost none,' she pointed out. 'I began to see why [there were no recourses], because periods have been taboo for far too long. It's the same reason I never talked about my experience with mTSS, and that silence was incredibly isolating.' Now, over 15 years later, Shannon regularly shares tips on how to avoid the life-threatening situation happening to other people - as well as the symptoms she ignored. 'My message to anyone using tampons is: use the lowest absorbency possible. Your tampon should be saturated when you remove it - if your flow is light, opt for a liner instead,' she listed. She also advises against using tampons overnight, noting if you begin to get sick you won't notice the symptoms if you're asleep. 'We need to stay aware of what our bodies are telling us - especially when there's a foreign object inside us,' she pointed out. Shannon added it's important to learn about the brands of sanitary products you're using, and make sure you're comfortable with their ingredients and manufacturing standards. 'Most importantly, be in tune with your body. It's always communicating with us, if we take the time to listen,' she urged. Shannon also advises people to immediately take a tampon out if they start feeling sick - describing the symptoms as flu-like. 'So [if you experience] headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever - take the tampon out,' she insisted. 'If you feel even worse go seek medical attention.' Shannon now hopes to educate young women through her non-profit, Protect Her Inc, which provides comprehensive menstrual education to adolescents aged seven to 18, with 'a focus on practical knowledge that fosters confidence, health literacy, and open dialogue.' According to National Library of Medicine, studies have shown the risk of mTSS was higher in young women who used tampons, than in women who used menstrual pads. They noted everyone should be aware of the symptoms of mTSS, which are early flu-like symptoms near or during menstruation, including acute onset of fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and progressive dizziness upon standing, and said people should should seek immediate medical attention if experiencing these symptoms.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Urgent recall issued for chocolate sold nationwide with ingredient that could kill
The FDA is warning Americans of a popular chocolate treat that could cause a 'life-threatening allergic reaction.' Lipari Foods of Warren, Michigan, is recalling 14oz packages of its JLM Branded Dark Chocolate Nonpareils because they may contain undeclared milk. People who have a milk allergy may be at risk of a severe reaction if they eat the product. The recall was initiated after Lipari Foods was notified by Weaver Nut Company that their product may contain milk but was distributed in packaging that did not reveal its possible presence. The candies were distributed nationwide in retail stores. They come in a 14oz clear plastic containers marked with the lot numbers 28202501A, 29202501A, 23202504A, 14202505A, 15202505A, and 03202506A on the bottom label. Customers who bought the product are urged to discard it or return it to the place of purchase. No illnesses or adverse events have been reported in connection to the recall, according to the FDA. Milk can could cause severe reactions in the 30 to 50million Americans with lactose intolerance and the 7million with dairy allergies. People who are lactose intolerant cannot properly digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products. This occurs because their bodies don't produce enough of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose. Undigested lactose then travels to the gut and gets fermented by bacteria, leading to digestive distress. Symptoms usually start within 30 minutes to two hours of consuming a dairy product and include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, bloating and gas. Additionally, roughly two percent of Americans - 6.6million - are allergic to milk. Symptoms of an allergy include hives, wheezing, coughing, congestion, face and throat swelling and in severe cases, anaphylaxis. This is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs very quickly after being exposed to an allergen. It triggers an extreme immune response, leading to dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath and vomiting. If not treated quickly with epinephrine (adrenaline), which can be administered via injection like an EpiPen or nasal spray, a person can die.
