Looking for Glioblastoma Multiforme Stage 4 survivors (brain cancer)

Hi Gilda, How is your mum doing? Hope she's doing well.

I have a friend and his father suffers from GBM IV. He just found out yesterday.  My own father survived Lymphoma cancer 5 years ago so I know how hard it is having your loved ones battling cancer... Therefor i feel really sad for my friend's father and would really try my best to help. 

My friend stayed in Sydney, so I was reading that your mum receives treatment by Dr. Michael Biggs.  Maybe I can start helping my friend by helping him find a good doctor in Sydney.  If you don't mind Gilda, may I know the address and contact number of Dr. Biggs or perhaps the hospital where he practices...

Thank you very much Gilda for sharing.

Yenny

In response to a recent post and as a general point of optimism for the Board, I'd like to tell you about my mother....

1.  Diagnosed in 1998 with a GBM (plum sized, left side behind the ear).  She had a seizure while playing cards.  At the time she was nearly 63 years old.  Relatively healthy otherwise.

2.  Standard resection, radiation, chemo (BCNU - is that what it was called?).

3.  Participated in a Phase 2 trial with Tamoxafin - stayed on it for about 2 years - much longer than most participants were able to stay on.

4.  MRIs every 3 months, then every 4 months, then every 6 months, now every year.  No other treatments, although she still takes some sort of anti-seizure pill every day.

5.  Three times has had malanomas removed (presumably unrelated).

6.  Celebrated her 10th year survivorship last week.

7.  Carries an incredibly positive attitude ("Believe" has always been her motto) and never has once complained of her misfortune. 

Hope this helps all of you dealing with this terrible disease to have another example of long-term survivorship.  Believe!

On 5/19/2008 stacyloveslester wrote:

hi, my name is stacy and i was diagnosed in 2001 with glioblastoma stage 4, i to was on decadron, steroids, they were awful, i gained between 90 an 100 lbs. my bones became brittle.        but with prayer im still here by the grace of god.still cancer free. may god bless you and your loved ones. write back if you would like to talk.                                                                                stacy

On 8/31/2006 Gennie wrote:

My husband was diagnosed almost 4 years ago with this dreadful disease. He has been clear for 3 years until the recurrence last 11/05. He is now taking Avastin which is not yet FDA approved. We will know in October if this is working for him. For those who want to have Avastin for Glioblastoma, ask your oncologist to enroll in SPOC program where they will cover expense if the insurance rejects it.

On 12/23/2002 Karen C. wrote:

I would like to hear from anyone that has survived or been part of a family that had the above cancer. Thank you

HI, My son is a one year survivor of this disease. Right now he is doing ok. We will know more this Wednesday. He has just turned 19. He is doing ok. It is not grown yet.