Being Positive Despite Having a Brain Tumor

Having a brain tumor or any type of cancer is certainly a very scary situation.  It is overwhelming, even if you simply type it into Google!

It can be better to take a step back and view your current situation from afar.  Stacey Kramer presented her situation through TED in 2010.  She had been diagnosed with a hemangioblastoma tumor.  Dr. Arnold Etame has studied this type of brain tumors.  You can read about some of his findings on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) site.

Here is Ms. Kramer’s 3-minute presentation, “The Best Gift I Ever Survived”:

Her outlook is very moving; to remain positive despite the challenges that present themselves. Because of her inspirational TED speech, she also wrote a great piece on Huffington Post in 2013, titled “How a Rare Disease Was The Most Unexpected Gift I Received.”  She shares that during her volunteer presentations, she sees that people of any age or upbringing have the same overwhelming feelings that she does.  She wants to be sure that everyone listening understands that “there are some unexpected and unwanted things in life that will bring you down if you let them, and instead it’s possible to shift your perspective and see the positives.”

Dr.Etame agrees.  When responding to a simple question about a tumor, he states, “You should remain spirited and continue to maintain your positive attitude. Your courage and grace in the face of this illness inspires us all.”

TED also shares two other positive-based articles on the page, “TEDWeekends asks: Can trauma be a gift?”

Photo courtesy: 
Stacey Kramer at TED2010, Session 2, “Discovery,” February 10, 2010, in Long Beach, California. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson