Brett’s Cancer Journey: 

On March 17, 2024, Brett was hospitalized with a variety of complicated neurological symptoms. After several months, 3 brain surgeries, and 2 spinal cord surgeries, Brett finally received a cancer diagnosis on August 27, 2024. He has a diffuse leptomeningeal glioneuronal tumor in his spinal cord. It’s spread throughout the lining of his entire spinal cord and brain. It’s an incredibly rare form of cancer that mostly shows up in children, in the few cases that have been seen. 

Brett then went through 6 weeks of radiation on his brain and spine and is now on his 5th round of chemotherapy. All of his oncology care is at the Duke Brain Tumor Clinic and his doctors are extremely pleased with his response to treatment so far. After his spinal cord biopsy, Brett had unavoidable nerve damage that resulted in a loss of sensation in his right leg. Since then, he’s been slowly learning to walk again- first with a walker, then with a cane, and now he no longer requires any mobility assistance. Like many other patients

Be an angel and join us at the Angels Among Us 5K and Walk for Hope on April 26, 2025 as we work together to find a cure for brain tumors. 

The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke is one of the oldest brain tumor research and clinical programs in the United States. It's a destination for patients seeking the most advanced treatments. The Center understands how overwhelming a brain tumor diagnosis can be, and with their compassionate staff and researchers, they help over 5,000 patients each year navigate this challenging journey.

The funds raised at this event will fuel groundbreaking research and cutting-edge clinical trials. Thank you—because of your support, we're one step closer to a cure.

Message from Brett:

After being sick for so long and associating the campus and hospital with bad times, this event is an opportunity to reclaim the campus for what it is; a beautiful innovation center on the frontier of research to help people in physically and emotionally challenging  situations.

Thank you for the support!