Diagnosis Pushes Cancer Survivor to Rediscover Hope
- Will Pearce, a father of two, was diagnosed with a brain tumor that upended his life plans and pushed him through fear, depression, and a search for renewed hope.
- Initially told his brain tumor was inoperable, Pearce sought additional options beyond chemotherapy. He found a neurosurgeon who removed most of the tumor, restoring his sense of faith and giving him a second chance at life.
- Surgery is typically the first step to remove as much of the tumor as safely possible without harming areas of the brain responsible for speech, movement, and other essential functions.
- Dr. Rafael Vega, a neurosurgical oncologist, says, “If you can get it all, the overall survival is so much greater.”
- Pearce says a year after his first brain surgery, his tumor had grown back, necessitating another successful surgery, followed by chemotherapy.
- “We often follow surgery with some form of chemotherapy as well as radiation to help control the microscopic disease of infiltration,” neurosurgeon Dr. Ganish Shankar explains.
- Pearce leaned on his faith to help with the anxiety associated with his diagnosis. Any glioma diagnosis is stressful, and patients often worry about treatment, recurrence, and more, neuro-oncologist Dr. Nicolas Gonzales Castro says.
The news left him overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty.
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What to Expect When Going Into the Operating Room
While Pearce did not disclose his exact brain tumor type, he noted it was malignant (cancerous).
A glioma is a type of tumor that originates in the central nervous system, specifically in the brain or spinal cord. They originate in glial cells. Glial cells are supportive cells in the brain that serve to protect and maintain the neurons.
RELATED: Neurosurgeons: At the Front Line of Glioma Care
“Glioma is a broad term that refers to a whole range of different types of primary brain tumors,” Dr. Alexandra Miller, Director of the Neuro-Oncologist Division at NYU Langone Health, tells SurvivorNet.
Surgery is typically the first step to remove as much of the tumor as safely possible and confirm the diagnosis. Surgeons aim to remove as much of the tumor as possible without harming areas of the brain responsible for speech, movement, and other essential functions.
WATCH: What To Expect Before & After Glioma Surgery
Dr. Rafael Vega, a neurosurgical oncologist at Harvard Medical School, tells SurvivorNet that even though gliomas are serious, patients are often surprised by how strategic and controlled surgery can be.
“That watch-and-wait approach has kind of gone away … it’s become more of a surgical disease to treat,” he explains. “If you can get it all, the overall survival is so much greater.”
During the procedure, surgeons must delicately remove as many tumor cells as possible while sparing healthy cells.
“You can somewhat tell visually… but once you start dissecting, it starts to blur,” Dr. Vega explains, referring to how the tumor and brain can look similar beneath the surface. He adds that surgeons use a combination of skills, technology, and physical feedback to understand where the tumor stops.
After brain surgery, Dr. Vega says patients usually go home within a day or two. However, some potential side effects may include swelling, headaches, and fatigue.
In the weeks after brain surgery, patients should expect a few follow-ups to monitor how the wound is healing, discuss pathology results, and receive an MRI scan.
“We always get an MRI scan within two days of surgery so we can evaluate what’s been removed, what’s remaining, if there’s anything that we need to keep an eye on moving forward,” said Dr. Jacob Young, a Neurosurgeon focused on glioma surgery at the University of California, San Francisco.
WATCH: After Glioma Surgery: Decision Making and the Tumor Board
The postoperative MRI serves as a new baseline. It shows:
- Extent of resection: how much visible tumor was removed.
- Residual changes: expected postoperative swelling or small areas to watch.
- Targets for next steps: if anything looks worrisome or needs closer follow-up.
“Patients get discussed at a multidisciplinary tumor board where it’s more than just neurosurgery. It’s neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, pathology, neurosurgery… That’s where a comprehensive assessment of how the patient is doing. Their neurological exam, performance status, support team, where they live, and how feasible it is to come for certain treatments. And that’s where a treatment plan is designed,” Dr. Young explains.
A Second Brain Surgery
Pearce says a year after his first brain surgery, his tumor had grown back, necessitating another surgery, which was successful. The father of two says that the chemotherapy that followed was challenging in itself.
Chemotherapy kills or slows the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be used alongside radiation, or following radiation, and is often used in higher-grade tumors.
WATCH: Dr. Reid Thompson explains why some gliomas return after treatment.
“What we attempt to do to achieve that control of the disease is we often follow surgery with some form of chemotherapy as well as radiation to help control the microscopic disease of infiltration,” Dr. Ganish Shankar, a neurosurgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital, tells SurvivorNet.
Pearce says three and a half years later, in March 2025, he needed a third brain surgery, which was also successful.
Leaning On Faith to Reclaim a Sense of Normalcy
Dr. Young says brain surgeons aim for maximal safe removal of the tumor and preserve brain function, so patients can return to a meaningful life.
“It’s not the case that there will be no impact of surgery, but we’re trying to minimize that impact. We want people to be able to return to work. We want people to have a high quality of life,” Dr. Young advises.
For Pearce, part of his healing and recovery included leaning more on his faith, the unflappable constant that has gotten him through every step of his brain cancer journey.
“The healing process isn’t the easiest process, but if you truly do have that faith and have that vision of something more powerful — whether it is family, friendship, faith — you just walk the path — just accept it, you can’t change it, but you can learn to live with it and to use it to encourage others,” Pearce explained.
Any glioma diagnosis is stressful, and patients often worry about treatment, recurrence, and more. Dr. Nicolas Gonzales Castro, a neuro-oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says fear is understandable, but patients should know there is much to be hopeful about as well.
“A brain tumor diagnosis is a life-changing event, and patients are continuously reminded of this, particularly if they have symptoms that are ongoing — ongoing seizures or if they have any symptoms after their initial treatment, such as radiation or surgery,” Dr. Castro says.
“It is natural. And the time of the new MRI or the next MRI is always a time of worry and concern,” Dr. Casto added.
“I try to counsel patients and assess their level of anxiety,” Dr. Castro says. “Anxiety is a medical condition. It’s extremely common … it can be treated, and it’s important to discuss treatments, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological.”
Recognizing & Addressing Fear
Neuro-oncologists who see glioma patients every day will tell you there is nothing wrong with experiencing fear. It’s common, and it should be discussed.
Fear and anxiety might present as:
- Constant checking of symptoms
- Being afraid to plan anything in the future
- Feeling detached from loved ones
- Avoiding MRI visits due to stress
Naming the fear out loud with your doctor, therapist, partner, or another close friend or relative can help turn it from something that owns you into something you can work with.
“Survivorship is one of the harsher words, but one of the better ones because it tells you flat out that you were in a very tough situation, it means you have to fight back and make an effort to build the life you’ve longed for,” Pearce said.
Using Faith as a Tool for Healing
A study published in Cancer highlights the powerful role of faith in the lives of cancer patients, revealing that 69% of those diagnosed with cancer reported praying for their health, compared to 45% of the general U.S. population.
Cancer psychologist Dr. Andrew Kneier helped co-author “Coping with Cancer: Ten Steps toward Emotional Well-Being.” He also co-authored a column published by Stanford Medicine with Rabbi Jeffery M. Silberman, director of spiritual care at Danbury Hospital in Connecticut.
WATCH: Faith Perspective: Opening Yourself Up to Others After a Cancer Diagnosis
Together, they emphasize the deep emotional and psychological support that faith provides to those battling illness.
According to Kneier and Silberman, spirituality offers a powerful coping mechanism, helping individuals navigate the uncertainty that comes with a cancer diagnosis.
“A person’s faith or spirituality provides a means for coping with illness and reaching a deeper kind of inner healing,” they explain.
Faith helps patients in multiple ways, including:
- Seeking answers to the difficult questions illness presents.
- Finding comfort in the midst of fear and pain.
- Gaining a sense of direction during an overwhelming and uncertain time.
Religious teachings, they argue, can serve as a guidepost, offering strength and resilience when navigating the emotional and physical challenges of cancer.
WATCH: Three-time cancer survivor shares how her faith helped her during cancer.
New York City Presbyterian Pastor Tom Evans tells SurvivorNet about the importance of finding ways to cope with the complex web of feelings you may be experiencing after a challenging health diagnosis, such as cancer.
“It’s important to reach out in a simple prayer to God, even if you’ve never prayed before, you don’t know what to say, a heartfelt plea, ‘God, help me, be with me,’” Pastor Evans told SurvivorNet.
“You can reach out to God, and you can reach out to people, your friends and family, and say, ‘I can’t do this on my own. I need you.’ “It’s in that willingness to be open and to receive that we can find something deeper that we never would’ve encountered without this hardship,” Evans continued
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you or someone you love is faced with a brain tumor and surgery is likely, here are some questions to ask your care team so you can be more prepared and lessen the anxiety.
- What can I do to prepare for glioma surgery?
- What complications and potential side effects should I be aware of?
- How long should I expect to stay in the hospital?
- How will I be monitored after surgery and in the coming months?
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