Example Basket Story: Flo Jones
All of our basket donations have a Brain Buddie story behind them. This is an example of a real Raffle Basket that was previously donated for our fundraiser. Please use this example as a guide to help you understand what is meant when we ask for your “basket info sheet” or “basket story” or “Brain Buddie story”.
** EXAMPLE BASKET SHEET & STORY **
Basket Theme: El Tovar Grand Canyon Trip in Honor of Flo Jones
Donated by: Paul and Flo Jones
In Honor of: 13 year GBM survivor Flo Jones
Basket Contents:
- $800 gift card that can be used at any of the Xanterra Parks and Resorts ( Flo recommends El Tovar)
Brain Buddie Story:
Having spent 27-years in the U.S. Army Reserve retiring in 1998 as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Military Police branch, dogged by 40-years with 6-7 petite mal seizures a month from my 18th birthday until 1998 when the seizures were controlled and almost 30-years in the cardiology as a registered cardiac technician and another 10-years in medical insurance, all my work history and my daily routines came to a screeching halt on October 29, 2009, when I underwent brain surgery to remove a slightly smaller than a 4 cm ping pong ball sized Stage IV Glioblastoma Multiform brain cancer tumor from my left temporal lobe. Life hasn’t been the same since that eventful day.
The week of October 29, 1998, began with a persistent headache requiring 2 visits to my neurologist who gave me 2-shots to the back of my head that didn’t work. On my 3rd visit, I was instructed to go straight to my usual hospital-Phoenix Baptist-emergency room. After 1-CT scan at 10:00 A.M. and a follow-up MRI at 2:00 P.M. my headache was diagnosed as a ‘mass’ on my left temporal lobe…surgery was schedule for 7:00 P.M. the next day.
My surgeon told my family at 1:00 A.M. he got ‘clean tissue’ at 3 cm. Thus began my journey in the world of being a GBM IV survivor. Recovery seemed to me to be at a snail’s pace especially when my chemo began (temodar) and radiation in January 2010. For the next 5 months or so, my weekly radiation was structured around the temodar’s white blood cell recovery. By July 2010, chemo ended as did radiation. By this time, I became an active member in Barrow’s Brain Tumor Support Group facilitated by Lanette Veres.
January 2010 also brought an end to my full-time job…a job that had filled by week days for 10-years was gone…now what do I do to fill my days? One good spot in all of this was after my chemo and radiation and a short spell of physical therapy to help me with my slight walking hitch-in-my-get-along on my right side, I could still drive and I kept my hair. Yippeee! But, my journey was just beginning.
This year will be 13 years surviving GBM4.